The Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley New Orleans (MVN) continues responding to active shoaling in Southwest Pass (SWP) deposited by high river stages (flood event). There are three industry hopper dredges, two industry cutterhead dredges and one government hopper dredge working in SWP. There are two additional industry hopper dredges expected to arrive in SWP next week. The MVN continues to operate the Bonnet Carré Spillway to ensure the maximum flow at New Orleans remains below 1.25 million cubic feet per second, 196 of the 350 bays remain open.
UPDATED: TRANSIT RESTRICTIONS AT SOUTHWEST PASS:
The Bar Pilots maximum draft recommendation was increased to 42 feet (freshwater) today (Wednesday, March 20, 2019) based on the latest channel surveys from the MVN. The official Notice from the Bar Pilots is attached.
The Crescent River Port Pilots’ Safe Navigation Committee also increased their maximum draft recommendation to 42 feet and implemented one-way traffic for two vessels of 41 feet or greater between Mile 4.5 Above Head of Passes (AHP) to Mile 1.5 AHP. The official Notice from the Crescent River Port Pilots Safe Navigation Committee is attached.
GOVERNMENT HOPPER DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):
RED FLAG EMERGENCY CALL OUTS:
WHEELER: MVN’s hopper dredge WHEELER is presently dredging in the area of the Head of Passes (Mile 0.7 AHP to Mile 0.2 AHP). The WHEELER began working under Red Flag Emergency Call Out #3-2019 (30-days) on March 1, 2019.
INDUSTRY HOPPER DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):
STUYVESANT: The industry hopper dredge STUYVESANT (Dutra Group) is dredging in the area of Cubits Gap (Mile 3.5 AHP to Mile 3.0 AHP). The STUYVESANT began dredging in SWP on Thursday, March 7, 2019 under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #6-2019.
TERRAPIN ISLAND: The industry hopper dredge TERRAPIN ISLAND (Great Lakes Dredge & Dock) is dredging on assignment at the Head of Passes (Mile 0.2 AHP to Mile 1.1 Below Head of Passes [BHP]). The TERRAPIN ISLAND began dredging under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #5-2019 on February 17, 2019.
NEWPORT: Thehopper dredge NEWPORT (Manson Construction) is presently dredging from Mile 4.4 BHP TO Mile 5.4 BHP. The NEWPORT is working under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #1-2019. The NEWPORT began dredging in SWP on November 28, 2018. The MVN intends to exercise the options on the NEWPORT’s contract to keep the hopper dredge working in SWP until early June.
GLENN EDWARDS: The industry hopper dredge is expected to resume dredging in SWP on March 27, 2019 in order to complete Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #6-2018.
BAYPORT: The industry hopper dredge is expected to begin working under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #7-2019 on March 27, 2019.
The Carrollton Gauge (New Orleans) reading at 1300 hours was 16.67 feet with a 24-hour change of – 0.15 feet.
The graph below is reproduced from NOAA’s National Weather Service website and represents an experimental product to account for 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 attached report for complete details related to dredge assignments.
Lower Mississippi River (LMR) Dredging Update 32019
The Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley New Orleans (MVN) continues responding to active shoaling in Southwest Pass (SWP) deposited by high river stages (flood event). There are three industry hopper dredges, two industry cutterhead dredges and one government hopper dredge working in SWP. There are two additional industry hopper dredges expected to arrive in SWP next week. The MVN continues to operate the Bonnet Carré Spillway to ensure the maximum flow at New Orleans remains below 1.25 million cubic feet per second, 196 of the 350 bays remain open.
UPDATED: TRANSIT RESTRICTIONS AT SOUTHWEST PASS:
The Bar Pilots maximum draft recommendation was increased to 42 feet (freshwater) today (Wednesday, March 20, 2019) based on the latest channel surveys from the MVN.
The Crescent River Port Pilots’ Safe Navigation Committee also increased their maximum draft recommendation to 42 feet and implemented one-way traffic for two vessels of 41 feet or greater between Mile 4.5 Above Head of Passes (AHP) to Mile 1.5 AHP.
GOVERNMENT HOPPER DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP): RED FLAG EMERGENCY CALL OUTS:
WHEELER: MVN’s hopper dredge WHEELER is presently dredging in the area of the Head of Passes (Mile 0.7 AHP to Mile 0.2 AHP). The WHEELER began working under Red Flag Emergency Call Out #3-2019 (30-days) on March 1, 2019.
INDUSTRY HOPPER DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):
STUYVESANT: The industry hopper dredge STUYVESANT (Dutra Group) is dredging in the area of Cubits Gap (Mile 3.5 AHP to Mile 3.0 AHP). The STUYVESANT began dredging in SWP on Thursday, March 7, 2019 under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #6- 2019.
INDUSTRY HOPPER DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP): continued
TERRAPINISLAND: TheindustryhopperdredgeTERRAPINISLAND(GreatLakesDredge & Dock) is dredging on assignment at the Head of Passes (Mile 0.2 AHP to Mile 1.1 Below Head of Passes [BHP]). The TERRAPIN ISLAND began dredging under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #5-2019 on February 17, 2019.
NEWPORT: ThehopperdredgeNEWPORT(MansonConstruction)ispresentlydredgingfrom Mile 4.4 BHP TO Mile 5.4 BHP. The NEWPORT is working under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #1-2019. The NEWPORT began dredging in SWP on November 28, 2018. The MVN intends to exercise the options on the NEWPORT’s contract to keep the hopper dredge working in SWP until early June.
GLENN EDWARDS: The industry hopper dredge is expected to resume dredging in SWP on March 27, 2019 in order to complete Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #6-2018.
BAYPORT: The industry hopper dredge is expected to begin working under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #7-2019 on March 27, 2019.
CUTTERHEAD DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):
R.S. WEEKS: The industry cutterhead dredge R.S. WEEKS (Weeks Marine) continues to undergo repairs but is expected to return to dredging at approximately Mile 0.73 BHP by Monday, March 25, 2019. The cutterhead will continue the assignment from Mile 1.5 AHP to Mile 2.0 BHP on the western side of the channel. The cutterhead started dredging in SWP on December 15, 2018.
CAPTAIN FRANK: The industry cutterhead dredge CAPTAIN FRANK is presently dredging at Mile 15.55 BHP. The cutterhead resumed working on assignment from Mile 10.5 BHP to Mile 17.8 BHP (R.S. WEEKS initial assignment) on February 23, 2019.
Forwarding correspondence between the Safe Navigation Committee and CRPPA:
Safe Navigation Recommendations:
-42’ft maximum draft.
-One way with two vessels of 41’ft or greater between mile 1.5 to 4.5 .
Brgds,
Nathan Ankersen
Chief Operating Officer
Crescent River Port Pilots’ Association
RE: SOUTHWEST PASS, RECOMMENDED DRAFT LIMITATION
The BAR Pilots for the Port of New Orleans recommend that vessels transiting Southwest Pass from the Sea Buoy (Entrance Lighted Whistle Buoy “SW”) to mile 1.5 above Head of Passes should not have a deep draft in fresh water greater than Forty-Two feet (42 feet).
This draft recommendation, which may be increased or decreased at any time as conditions warrant, becomes effective at 1000 hours CST on March 20, 2019.
Nothing in the recommendations should be construed as limiting a pilot in the exercise of their judgement.
Associated Branch Pilots
