The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) continues Fiscal Year 2024 (FY 24) channel maintenance dredging on the Mississippi River Ship Channel. The government dustpan dredges were released to the USACE Memphis and Vicksburg Districts to work on the shallow-draft channel, the JADWIN was released on August 22 and the HURLEY was released on September 4 (2024). The industry dustpan dredge WALLACE McGEORGE (Pine Bluff Sand & Gravel) and the industry hopper dredges NEWPORT (Manson Construction) and PADRE ISLAND (Great Lakes Dredge & Dock) continue to work on the Deep-Draft Crossings. The USACE started the construction of the saltwater sill at approximately Mile 63.7 AHP to prevent the advancement of the saltwater wedge on September 14, 2024. The saltwater sill contract was awarded to Weeks Marine, Weeks has completed approximately 94% of the sill’s construction to the first targeted elevation (-55 feet) with the cutterhead dredge J.S. CHATRY. Weeks now anticipates completing the sill to the target elevation by tomorrow morning. The USACE last measured the saltwater wedge at Mile 58.1 Above Head of Passes (AHP) on September 20, 2024.
DUSTPAN DREDGE(S) WORKING ON THE CROSSINGS ABOVE NEW ORLEANS:
WALLACE McGEORGE: The industry dustpan dredge WALLACE Mc GEORGE (Pine Bluff Sand & Gravel) continues dredging full channel dimensions at Medora Crossing (Mile 212 AHP). The dustpan dredge began dredging for the FY 24 season at Alhambra Crossing on June 14, 2024.
INDUSTRY HOPPER DREDGE(S) WORKING ON THE CROSSINGS ABOVE NEW ORLEANS:
NEWPORT: The industry hopper dredge NEWPORT continues dredging full channel dimensions on assignment at Alhambra Crossing (Mile 192 AHP). The NEWPORT is working under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Contract #2-2024.
PADRE ISLAND: The hopper dredge PADRE ISLAND (Great Lakes Dredge & Dock) is now dredging full channel dimensions at Smoke Bend (Mile 175 AHP). The hopper dredge completed assignments in Southwest Pass on September 19, 2024.
CUTTERHEAD DREDGE WORKING IN THE NEW ORLENAS HARBOR:
CAPTAIN FRANK: The cutterhead dredge CAPATIN FRANK (Weeks Marine) has completed the dredging assignments in the New Orleans Harbor. The CAPTAIN FRANK began work under this contract on August 3 (2024) and is transiting to respond to the severe shoaling left behind by Hurricane Francine on the Atchafalaya River.
MAXIMUM DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS PER PILOT ASSOCIATION:
(UNCHANGED SINCE July 7, 2023)
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).
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 1700 hours today was 2.76 feet with a 24-hour change of + 0.37 feet. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service Extended Streamflow Prediction (28-Day) for the Carrollton Gage issued today forecasts that stages will fall to 3.0 feet on September 29 and then resume a rise (*Hurricane Helene generated precipitation) to 4.6 feet on October 10 and to then resume a slow fall to 3.5 feet on October 23 (2024).
(*Yesterday’s prediction was for a low of 2.5 feet on October 22 with the forecasted stages below 3.0 feet after October 1).
The Baton Rouge Gage reading at 1700 hours was 6.24 feet with a 24-hour change of +0.04 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 a quick fall to 5.4 feet on September 29 and then begin a rise to 7.8 feet on October 8 and will then resume a slow fall to 5.0 feet on October 23 (2024).
*Long-range forecasts only include precipitation expected to fall in the next 48-hours.
