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 (HURLEY and JADWIN) were previously 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) continues dredging on the Crossings Above New Orleans.
The USACE completed construction of the saltwater sill to the first targeted elevation of -55 feet at approximately Mile 63.7 AHP to prevent the advancement of the saltwater wedge from September 14 to September 26 (2024). The USACE will continue to monitor the progress of the saltwater wedge, to determine if the construction of the saltwater sill to a higher elevation (-30 feet) is required. The USACE last predicted the saltwater wedge at Mile 32.5 Above Head of Passes (AHP) on October 15, 2024, indicating the recent higher river stages had pushed the saltwater wedge 31 miles downriver.
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 Red Eye Crossing (Mile 224 AHP). The dustpan dredge began dredging for the FY 24 season at Alhambra Crossing on June 14, 2024.
CUTTERHEAD DREDGE WORKING THE NEW ORLEANS HARBOR:
J.S. CHATRY: The cutterhead dredge J.S. CHATRY (Weeks Marine) completed the dredging in the New Orleans Harbor from October 10 to October 14 (2024). The dredge was temporarily released by the USACE from standby at the saltwater sill location to complete the dredging of the remaining channel maintenance assignments and the deepening of the approach channels in the New Orleans Harbor.
CUTTERHEAD DREDGE CONSTRUCTING THE SALTWATER SILL:
J.S. CHATRY: The J.S. CHATRY (Weeks Marine) completed the construction of the saltwater sill at approximately Mile 63.7 AHP to the height of -55 feet from September 14 to September 26 (2024). The USACE will continue to monitor the progress of the saltwater wedge, to determine if the construction of the saltwater sill to a higher elevation (-30 feet) is required, not anticipated at this time. The coordinated one-way traffic through the buoyed channel will continue until the river washes the saltwater barrier away. The J.S. CHATRY will remain on standby near the sill location while the USACE determines if augmenting the sill height will be required. The latest river stage forecasts indicate stages will continue to drop over the next month (2.2 feet on November 14) and without additional precipitation the saltwater wedge is expected to migrate upriver.
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 1500 hours today was 3.19 feet with a 24-hour change of – 1.00 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 continue to fall to 2.2 feet on November 14 (2024).
The Baton Rouge Gage continues to be offline or malfunctioning after recent repairs, the best forecast available indicated that at 1900 hours tonight the stage would be 7.60 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 fall 3.7 feet on November 14 (2024).
*Long-range forecasts only include precipitation expected to fall in the next 48-hours.
