The Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley New Orleans (MVN) continues to respond to the shoaling, created by the extended high river stages of early 2018, on the Crossings Above New Orleans and in the New Orleans Harbor. The MVN is actively dredging on the Crossings Above New Orleans with all three dustpan dredges working to restore at least the central 250 feet of channel. Federally authorized channel dimensions on the Crossings Above New Orleans are 45 feet by 500 feet.
UPDATE DUSTPAN DREDGES ON THE CROSSINGS ABOVE NEW ORLEANS:
WALLACE McGEORGE: The industry dustpan dredge WALLACE McGEORGE continues dredging full channel dimensions (500 feet) at Alhambra Crossing (Mile 192 AHP). The NOBRA and Federal Pilots will not anchor vessels in the White Castle Anchorage (Mile 191.1 AHP to Mile 190.4 AHP) while the dustpan dredge works at this location. The WALLACE McGEORGE is expected to complete this assignment on July 21, 2018. The Pilots are coordinating with vessel traffic to keep the anchorage clear in order to promote navigational safety and allow the dredge to work without interruption.
The Carrollton Gauge reading at 1000 hours today was 6.79 feet, with a 24-hour change of – 0.15 feet.
The Baton Rouge Gauge reading at 1000 hours today was 21.97 feet, with a 24-hour change of – 0.30 feet.
The graph below is reproduced from NOAA’s National Weather Service website and represents an experimental product based on the complexity of accurately predicting long-range precipitation. This forecast projects stage levels based on expected precipitation for 2 days (top) and 16 days (bottom) and was developed within the North American Ensemble Forecast System (NAEFS) computer model and highlights Quantitative Precipitation Forecasts (QPF). Along with the forecasts, a shaded area is also provided to indicate uncertainty for the forecast each day in the future. These plots are experimental and not an official forecast product.
Please see the below report for complete details on dredge locations.
DUSTPAN DREDGES ON THE CROSSINGS ABOVE NEW ORLEANS:
HURLEY: The Corps’ dustpan dredge HURLEY completed restoring full channel dimensions at Red Eye Crossing (Mile 224 Above Head of Passes [AHP]) and moved upriver to start dredging the central 250 feet at Baton Rouge Front (Mile 231 AHP). The dustpan dredge began dredging on the Crossings on Wednesday, May 16, 2018.
WALLACE McGEORGE: The industry dustpan dredge WALLACE McGEORGE continues dredging full channel dimensions (500 feet) at Alhambra Crossing (Mile 192 AHP). The NOBRA and Federal Pilots will not anchor vessels in the White Castle Anchorage (Mile 191.1 AHP to Mile 190.4 AHP) while the dustpan dredge works at this location. The WALLACE McGEORGE is expected to complete this assignment on July 21, 2018. The Pilots are coordinating with vessel traffic to keep the anchorage clear in order to promote navigational safety and allow the dredge to work without interruption.
JADWIN: The Corps’ dustpan dredge JADWIN continues dredging full channel dimensions (500 feet) at Smoke Bend (Mile 175 AHP). The JADWIN began dredging on the Crossings on Thursday, May 10, 2018.
CUTTERHEAD DREDGE AT THE NEW ORLEANS HARBOR:
MIKE HOOKS: The MVN issued a contract to Mike Hooks, Inc. to dredge in the New Orleans Harbor and is coordinating the cutterhead assignment with the representatives of the Port of New Orleans. The cutterhead dredge MIKE HOOKS continues work under contract for the Port of New Orleans between the Nashville Avenue Terminal Complex and Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal at approximately Mile 100 AHP and may at times extend out a maximum of 1,000 feet channelward. The cutterhead is now expected to complete the work for the Port by July 21, 2018. The cutterhead will then begin dredging under contract for MVN. The MVN expects to use the cutterhead dredge between Henry Clay Avenue Wharf and Nashville Avenue Wharf (Berth A).
