The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) continues Fiscal Year 2024 (FY 24) channel maintenance dredging with the industry hopper dredge GLENN EDWARDS (Manson Construction) working in Southwest Pass. The industry dustpan dredge WALLACE McGEORGE (Pine Bluff Sand & Gravel) and the government dustpan dredge HURLEY are expected to commence dredging on the Crossings by Monday, June 17, 2024.
DUSTPAN DREDGES WORKING ON THE CROSSINGS ABOVE NEW ORLEANS:
WALLACE McGEORGE: The industry dustpan dredge is expected to start dredging at Alhambra Crossing (Mile 190.5 Above Head of Passes [AHP]) on Friday, June 14, 2024. While the dredge is working this assignment the White Castle Anchorage (Mile 191.1 AHP to Mile 190.4 AHP) will be unavailable for vessel usage. The closure of the anchorage is expected to last approximately two weeks.
HURLEY: The government dustpan dredge HURLEY is expected to commence dredging at Red Eye Crossing (Mile 224 AHP) on Monday, June 17, 2024.
INDUSTRY HOPPER DREDGES WORKING IN THE AREA OF SOUTHWEST PASS:
GLENN EDWARDS: The GLENN EDWARDS (Manson Construction) continues dredging on assignment in SWP from Mile 5.0 Below Head of Passes (BHP) to Mile 9.0 BHP. The dredge is working an area related to the flocculation-based restriction by the Bar Pilots limiting vessel transits for vessels with draft of 38 feet or greater to 10 hours before high tide or 4 hours after high tide. One inbound vessel did have to clean strainers this morning, the vessel had approximately 48 feet of draft, the vessel just resumed the inbound transit after cleaning strainers. The GLENN EDWARDS began work under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Contract #2-2023 a Fiscal Year 2023 Early Award Hopper Contract on March 4, 2024.
MAXIMUM DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS PER PILOT ASSOCIATION:
(UNCHANGED SINCE July 7, 2023, other than the flocculation-based restriction noted below)
The updated maximum draft recommendation for each Pilot Association as adjusted by the Mississippi River Ship Channel Deepening is 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 to 49 feet from May 22 to July 6 (2023). The Bar Pilots implemented the flocculation-based transit restriction at 1000 hours on June 6, 2024, limiting all inbound vessels with drafts of 38-feet or greater to transit 10 hours before or 4 hours after high tide (attached).
MAXIMUM DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS PER PILOT ASSOCIATION: continued
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, after also temporarily reducing their maximum draft to 49 feet (freshwater).
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) remains unadjusted since July 7, 2023.
Mississippi River Stages and Forecast Updates:
The Carrollton Gage (New Orleans) reading at 0800 hours today was 11.76 feet with a 24-hour change of + 0.12 feet. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service Extended Streamflow Prediction (28-Day) for the Carrollton Gage issued yesterday forecasts stages will slowly fall to 8.4 feet on July 9 (2024).
The Baton Rouge Gage reading at 0800 hours was 32.70 feet with a 24-hour change of – 0.12 feet. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service Extended Streamflow Prediction (28-Day) for the Baton Rouge Gauge issued yesterday forecasts stages will fall to 23.0 feet on July 9 (2024).
