The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) continues active channel maintenance dredging operations on the Mississippi River Ship Channel (MRSC) in Southwest Pass. There is one cutterhead dredge contract working in Southwest Pass and the USACE hopper dredge WHEELER continues work under Readiness Exercise #1-2024.
CUTTERHEAD DREDGE(S) WORKING IN THE HOPPER DREDGE DISPOSAL AREA (HDDA):
CAPTAIN FRANK: The USACE awarded Head of Passes Hopper Dredge Disposal Area Contract #2-2022 to Weeks Marine to remove sediment from the Hopper Dredge Disposal Area (HDDA). The cutterhead dredge CAPTAIN FRANK completed dredging of 6.0 million cubic yards of material under this contract from October 1, 2023 to January 18, 2024. Weeks utilized the cutterhead dredge CAPTAIN FRANK to beneficially place the removed sediment in the West Bay Receiving Area. The final section of the submerged dredge pipeline was removed during a scheduled closure of the Ship Channel today. The removed sediment is estimated to have created approximately 500 acres of new acreage.
COMPLETED FULL CHANNEL CLOSURE(S) Mile 2.0 AHP to the HEAD OF PASSES (Mile 0):
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2024: The scheduled closure began at 0700 hours and the pipeline was successfully refloated by approximately 1000 hours today. The channel was reopened to vessel traffic by the U.S. Coast Guard at approximately 1030 hours.
CUTTERHEAD DREDGE(S) WORKING IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):
ALASKA: The cutterhead dredge ALASKA (Great Lakes Dredge & Dock) continues channel maintenance dredging under Southwest Pass Cutterhead Dredge Contract #1-2023 in Southwest Pass. The cutterhead dredge ALASKA continues work on assignment from Mile 5.0 Below Head of Passes (BHP) to Mile 8.5 BHP along the right descending bank. The dredge material is being placed behind new foreshore rocks to help fortify this area and close off a recuring crevasse that has formed several times in this area along the western side of Southwest Pass. The ALASKA is expected to complete this assignment by this weekend.
USACE HOPPER DREDGE(S) WORKING IN THE AREA of SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):
WHEELER: The USACE hopper dredge WHEELER continues working under Readiness Exercise #1-2024. The WHEELER is presently working an assignment in Southwest Pass as the first hopper dredge to work in SWP in 2024. The WHEELER is scheduled to complete this Readiness Exercise on February 5, 2024. The industry hopper dredge GLENN EDWARDS (Manson Construction) is expected to start dredging in SWP later this month.
MAXIMUM DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS PER PILOT ASSOCIATION:
(UNCHANGED SINCE July 7, 2023)
The updated maximum draft recommendation for each Pilot Association as adjusted due to the Mississippi River Ship Channel Deepening and a temporary reduction to 49 feet by the Bar Pilots are detailed below:
Associated Branch Pilots of the Port of New Orleans (Bar Pilots): The Bar Pilots returned their maximum draft recommendation to 50 feet (freshwater) on July 6, 2023. The Bar Pilots originally increased their maximum draft recommendation to 50 feet (freshwater) on March 16, 2022, prior to the temporary reduction from May 22 to July 6 (2023).
Crescent River Port Pilots Association (CRPPA): The CPPRA raised their maximum draft recommendation to 50 feet (freshwater) in coordination with the Bar Pilots on July 7, 2023. The CRPPA originally increased their maximum draft to 50 feet (freshwater) on July 20.
New Orleans Baton Rouge Steamship Pilots Association (NOBRA): The NOBRA returned their maximum draft recommendation to 50 feet (freshwater) from Mile 175 AHP to Mile 88 AHP on July 7, 2023. The maximum draft recommendation from Mile 175 to 180 remains 47 feet and from Mile 180 to Mile 233.8 it remains 45 feet.
Associated Federal Pilots and Docking Masters of Louisiana (Federal Pilots): The Federal Pilots increased their maximum draft recommendations to the following to match the draft adjustment to 50 feet by the other Pilot Associations.
- 50 feet from Sea Buoy to Mile 175 AHP
- 45 feet Mile 175 AHP to 232.4 AHP
- 40 feet Mile 232.4 AHP to 233.8 AHP
The controlling maximum freshwater draft for the MRSC from Mile 175 AHP (Smoke Bend) to the Southwest Pass Sea Buoy is 50 feet (freshwater) as adjusted on July 7, 2023.
MAXIMUM DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS PER PILOT ASSOCIATION:
(UNCHANGED SINCE July 7, 2023)
The updated maximum draft recommendation for each Pilot Association as adjusted due to the Mississippi River Ship Channel Deepening and a temporary reduction to 49 feet by the Bar Pilots are detailed below:
Associated Branch Pilots of the Port of New Orleans (Bar Pilots): The Bar Pilots returned their maximum draft recommendation to 50 feet (freshwater) on July 6, 2023. The Bar Pilots originally increased their maximum draft recommendation to 50 feet (freshwater) on March 16, 2022, prior to the temporary reduction from May 22 to July 6 (2023).
Crescent River Port Pilots Association (CRPPA): The CPPRA raised their maximum draft recommendation to 50 feet (freshwater) in coordination with the Bar Pilots on July 7, 2023. The CRPPA originally increased their maximum draft to 50 feet (freshwater) on July 20.
New Orleans Baton Rouge Steamship Pilots Association (NOBRA): The NOBRA returned their maximum draft recommendation to 50 feet (freshwater) from Mile 175 AHP to Mile 88 AHP on July 7, 2023. The maximum draft recommendation from Mile 175 to 180 remains 47 feet and from Mile 180 to Mile 233.8 it remains 45 feet.
Associated Federal Pilots and Docking Masters of Louisiana (Federal Pilots): The Federal Pilots increased their maximum draft recommendations to the following to match the draft adjustment to 50 feet by the other Pilot Associations.
- 50 feet from Sea Buoy to Mile 175 AHP
- 45 feet Mile 175 AHP to 232.4 AHP
- 40 feet Mile 232.4 AHP to 233.8 AHP
The controlling maximum freshwater draft for the MRSC from Mile 175 AHP (Smoke Bend) to the Southwest Pass Sea Buoy is 50 feet (freshwater) as adjusted on July 7, 2023
Mississippi River Stages and Forecast Updates:
The Carrollton Gage (New Orleans) reading at 1700 hours today was 6.92 feet with a 24-hour change of + 0.52 feet. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service Extended Streamflow Prediction (28-Day) for the Carrollton Gage issued today forecasts stages will continue rise until cresting at 9.3 feet on February 13 and will then begin a slow fall to 5.6 feet on February 29 (2024).
The Baton Rouge Gage reading at 1700 hours was 23.85 feet with a 24-hour change + 0.63 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 stages will continue to rise and crest at 29.7 feet on February 12 and will then begin a slow fall to 18.9 feet on February 29 (2024).
