The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has completed both channel maintenance on the Crossings Above New Orleans for Fiscal Year 2021 and Phase 2 of the Mississippi River Ship Channel Deepening (MRSC) to 50 Feet. The USACE began Phase 2 of the historic deepening project on October 8, 2021 and completed it this evening (November 16, 2021). The USACE has utilized advanced survey equipment in the Venice Corridor in an effort to locate the three previously identified obstructions (two pipelines and one cable), results are expected to be released over the next few weeks.
MISSISSIPPI RIVER SHIP CHANNEL DEEPENING PHASE 2: (Completed)
The USACE with input and agreement from representatives of the U.S. Coast Guard, pilot associations and navigation industry formalized a plan to revise the logistical approach to Phase 2 of the MRSC deepening through mechanical dredging. The adjust Phase 2 assignments deepened the four southernmost (downriver) of the Crossings Above New Orleans. Specifically, the reach of the Ship Channel from Smoke Bend (Mile 175 AHP) to Fairview Crossing (Mile 115 AHP).
DUSTPAN DREDGES WORKING ON DEEPENING THE CROSSINGS ABOVE NEW ORLEANS:
JADWIN: The dustpan dredge JADWIN completed the MRSC deepening to 50 Feet at Smoke Bend (Mile 175 AHP) at 1600 hours yesterday (November 15, 2021). The JADWIN began the Phase 2 deepening assignment of the MRSC Ship Channel on October 8, 2021.
HURLEY: The government dustpan dredge HURLEY completed the Phase 2 deepening assignment at Rich Bend (Mile 158.8 AHP) this evening. The HURLEY previously mechanically deepened Belmont Crossing
(Mile 154 AHP) during the deepening assignments. The HURLEY started work under Phase 2 of the Ship Channel deepening to 50 feet at Belmont Crossing on October 10, 2021.
DUSTPAN DREDGES WORKING ON CHANNEL MAINTENANCE on the CROSSINGS:
WALLACE McGEORGE: The industry dustpan dredge WALLACE McGEORGE completed dredging full channel dimensions near the Arlington Lights (Mile 226 AHP) yesterday. The dustpan dredged on channel maintenance assignments on the Crossings Above New Orleans from May 20, 2021 to November 15, 2021. The dredge is now working on the shallow-draft channel at the Port Allen Locks and is expected to complete that assignment by November 22, 2021.
MISSISSIPPI RIVER STAGE UPDATES:
The Carrollton Gauge (New Orleans) reading at 1800 hours today was 4.22 feet with a 24-hour change of – 0.23 feet. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service Extended Streamflow Prediction (28-Day) for the Carrollton Gauge issued today forecasts a slow and intermittent fall in stages to 2.5 feet on December 14, 2021. The highest crest recorded on the Carrollton Gauge in 2021 to date is 15.44 feet at 1700 hours on April 16, 2021.
The Baton Rouge Gauge reading at 1800 hours was 13.69 feet with a 24-hour change of – 0.54 feet. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service Extended Streamflow Prediction (28-Day) for the Baton Rouge Gauge issued today forecasts a slow and intermittent fall to 7.4 feet on December 14, 2021.
