The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) estimates completion of revetment operations at the Greenville Bend location (Mile 99.8 Above Head of Passes) on Monday (January 23, 2023).
The Mat Sinking Unit will then move upriver to start work at the White Castle #3 location (Mile 192.7 AHP) with work now expected to begin at 0600 hours on Wednesday, January 25, 2023. The USACE has simply adjusted the work assignment and will start work on the downriver White Castle site first (modification). The dates listed in the table below are estimated based upon a variety of factors.
Revetment operations at the White Castle locations will be the trickiest with no ship transits allowed through the area during working hours (daylight – 0600 hours to 1900 hours).
2022/2023 USACE Revetment Schedule and Restrictions
Locations Below Baton Rouge
Locations | Mile AHP
(Right or Left) |
2023 Scheduled Dates | Transit Restrictions |
White Castle #2 |
193.4 RDB
|
February 6 to February 14 | No deep-draft transits during working
hours. MSU will fold in at night. |
White Castle #3 | 192.7 RDB | January 25 to January 27
January 30 to February 5 |
No deep-draft transits during working
hours. MSU will fold in at night. |
Greenville Bend |
99.8 RDB |
Ongoing
January 16 to January 23 |
One-way transits with slow bell during
working hours for vessels with drafts of 40 feet or greater. MSU will not fold in. |
The New Orleans Baton Rouge Steamship Pilots Association (NOBRA) enforce a daylight only transit restriction for vessels with a draft of 41 feet or greater when transiting above Mile 220 AHP.
The NOBRA Pilots will move restricted vessels (drafts 41 or greater) transiting above Mile 220 AHP with two Pilots on Board while revetment operations are ongoing at the two remaining White Castle sites.
The two pilot adjustment will allow restricted vessels to transit at night in adjustment to the NOBRA restriction listed below:
“Above LMR MM 220, regardless of the river stage, all vessels drafting 41’ or greater are restricted to daylight only. Vessels must get underway 3 hours prior to the official sunset time.
Exceptions will be made for shifts from berths to/from the Middle Baton Rouge anchorage.”
There will be no revetment based transit restrictions next weekend (January 28-29) as that is no work weekend for the Mat Sinking Unit.