LAMA’s report on the Corps’ Mississippi River Maintenance Forum meeting held this morning, Wednesday, July 10, 2019 and the corresponding agenda are attached.
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 review the attachments for complete details.
RE: CORPS’ MISSISSIPPI RIVER MAINTENANCE FORUM MEETING NOTES
LAMA Corps Mississippi River Maintenance Forum Meeting Notes 71019.pdf
The Corps’ Mississippi Valley New Orleans (MVN) holds monthly meetings to discuss channel conditions and related issues directly with the maritime industry. These meetings are usually scheduled for 0900 hours on the first Wednesday of the month. LAMA encourages our members to attend these meetings, which are open to the public (with advanced notice of attendance). The agenda for this meeting as provided by the MVN is attached.
Maintenance Forum Notes July 10, 2019
1) Introductions
2) Southeast Waterways Update:
Tiger Pass: The MVN received $9.5 million for the dredging of Tiger Pass through the Corps Fiscal Year 2019 (FY 19) Work Plan. Channel surveys of Tiger Pass identified that approximately 2.7 million cubic yards (mcy) of material needs to be removed to restore the shallow-draft channel to near full channel dimensions. The funding is not expected to be sufficient to restore fully authorized channel dimension. The MVN indicated today that it does not believe there will be sufficient time to combine this project with a Beneficial Use of Dredged Material (BUDMAT) project with Plaquemines Parish. The BUDMAT project would allow additional material to be removed and beneficially used.
Baptiste Collette: The Corps previously received $13.9 million in supplemental funding to perform dredging operations ($6.5 million) and rock work to fortify the jetties and channel boundaries ($7.4 million) on Baptiste Collette. The MVN then received an additional $3 million from the Corps FY 19 Work Plan and has awarded a cutterhead dredge contract to the CROSBY DREDGER (CrosbyDredging). The cutterhead is expected to start dredging next week, but the start date could be delayed by the impacts of “Potential Tropical Cyclone 2.” The MVN intends to advertise a contract for the rock work late in FY 19 and expects to commence rock placement early in FY 20.
3) Mississippi River Conditions Update:
Current Stage New Orleans (Carrollton Gauge): 16.0 feet
* Forecasts vary based on the weather system’s impact, the National Weather Service’s (NWS) Extended Streamflow Prediction (28-Day Forecast) shows a crest at 18.2 feet (7/13/19) and then stabilizing back to 16.6 feet (7/14/19) and falling to 14.7 feet on (8/7/19). Although at least one forecast site from the NWS adapted to include pending precipitation does show a quick spike in river levels with a crest of 20 feet on Saturday, July 13th.
Current Stage Baton Rouge: 42.3 feet
* Projected for a slight rise to 42.7 feet (7/14/19) and then a slow steady fall to 36.1feet (8/7/19).
“Potential Tropical Cyclone 2” could have significant impact on all present river stage projections, members are encouraged to continue to monitor river stages and weather-related alerts.
A. Crossings Between Baton Rouge and New Orleans:
The latest surveys for the Crossings Between Baton and New Orleans are included in the attached agenda. The surveys identify considerable shoaling on the Crossings and the Corps continues dredging with the dustpan dredges WALLACE McGEORGE and the JADWIN. The HURLEY will return to Red Eye Crossing once repairs are completed.
B. New Orleans Harbor:
The Corps intends to advertise a cutterhead dredge contract as the river stages recede and is coordinating with the Port of New Orleans. If the river stage projections hold a cutterhead contract advertisement should be completed by mid-August.
C. Southwest Pass (SWP):
The MVN continues the effort to restore channel dimensions in SWP with two industry hopper dredges (NEWPORT and STUYVESANT) and the government hopper dredge WHEELER working under a Red Flag Emergency Callout. The WHEELER is headed to the MVN dock and the two hoppers will move up river during heightened periods of storm impact. The cutterhead dredges C.R. McCASKILL and CAPTAIN FRANK are expected to begin dredging in SWP next week. The controlling draft recommendation remains 42 feet freshwater, but the channel continues to deteriorate and dredging activity will most likely be impacted by the storm’s impact.
D. Head of Passes, Hopper Dredge Disposal Area (HDDA):
The R.S. WEEKS has now removed approximately 5.0 mcy of material from the HDDA and is beneficially placing this material in the Pass A’Loutre Wildlife Management Area.
E. Southwest Pass Stone Foreshore Dike & Jetty Repair:
A contract was awarded to EFT Diversified, Inc. on July 16, 2018 to make repairs to the foreshore rocks that protect the deep-draft channel in Southwest Pass. The rock placement operations continue, and the contractor is working closely with the Pilot Associations to assist in maintaining navigational safety around the rock placement operations.
F. Fiscal Year 2019 Funding Update:
The MVN had previously received a record amount of funding $191,329,000 (Fiscal Year 2019) based on the combined President’s Budget Request amount, Work Plan Allocation and Supplemental Funding. Based on the historic flood event the MVN has recently received an additional $44,500,000 increasing the total Operations & Maintenance Budget to $235,829,000 for FY 19.
There were considerable discussions today about the Corps’ single beam channel surveys and the capabilities of private industries to provide multibeam channel surveys. Based on the storm system’s impact and the complicated nature of the discussions this matter will be better addressed or reported on at a future meeting and after the impact of “Potential Tropical Cyclone 2” and the historic flood event have passed.
4) Next Meeting:
The next Forum meeting is scheduled for 0900 hours on Wednesday, August 7, 2019, at the MVN District Assembly Room A.
MISSISSIPPI RIVER MAINTENANCE FORUM MEETING AGENDA
Attachment Corps Forum Agenda 71019.pdf
1. Introductions – Michelle Kornick
2. Southeast Waterways – Ray Newman
3. Mississippi River Conditions Update – Michelle Kornick
4. Next Meeting – Wednesday, August 7, 9:00 a.m., USACE New Orleans Headquarters, DARM A
CURRENT STAGES
New Orleans = 16.0′
Baton Rouge = 42.3′
1. CROSSINGS BETWEEN BATON ROUGE & NEW ORLEANS:
Location of dustpan/hopper dredges:
|
Dredge |
Current |
Next Week |
EDC |
|
Wallace McGeorge |
Medora |
Baton Rouge Front |
TBD |
|
Hurley |
Repairs |
Redeye |
TBD |
|
Jadwin |
Belmont |
Belmont |
TBD |
2. NEW ORLEANS HARBOR:
Location of cutterhead dredges: None.
3. SOUTHWEST PASS:
Location of hopper/cutterhead dredges:
|
Dredge |
Current |
Next Week |
EDC |
|
Wheeler |
Mile 1.0 AHP to 1.0 BHP |
SWP |
8/31/19 |
|
Newport |
Mile 5.2 BHP to 6.5 BHP |
SWP |
8/23/19 |
|
Stuyvesant |
Mile 6.0 AHP to 3.7 AHP |
SWP |
7/21/19 |
|
CR McCaskill |
— |
Mile 1.0 AHP to 1.8 BHP |
9/15/19 |
|
Capt Frank |
— |
Mile 5.0 BHP to 6.5 BHP |
9/15/19 |
a. SWP Hopper #8-2019 (19C0038)- Bid Opening was held on 5/7/19 and contract awarded to Manson Construction, Dredge Newport. Dredging commenced on 6/9/19.
b. SWP Hopper #10-2019 (19C0044) – Bid Opening was held on 5/30/19 and contract awarded to Dutra, Dredge Stuyvesant. Dredging commenced on 6/14/19.
c. SWP Cutterhead #2-2019 (19C0056)- Bid Opening was held on 6/27/19 and contract awarded to Weeks Marine, Dredges CR McCaskill and Captain Frank. Estimated start 7/15/19- 7/17/19.
d. Wheeler Call Out #5 – 6/3/19 – 7/20/19
e. Wheeler Call Out #6 – 7/20/19 – 8/31/19
4. HEAD OF PASSES, HOPPER DREDGE DISPOSAL AREA:
Location of cutterhead dredges:
|
Dredge |
Current |
Next Week |
EDC |
|
RS Weeks |
HDDA |
HDDA |
TBD |
a. HDDA Dredging #1-2018 (18C0045): Bid Opening held on 9/6/18. Contract awarded to Weeks Marine on 9/10/18. Dredge RS Weeks commenced dredging on 11/3/18. Dredge RS Weeks was temporarily released from the HDDA contract to work in SWP. Dredging resumed on 4/26/19.
5. SOUTHWEST PASS STONE FORESHORE DIKE & JETTY REPAIRS
a. Contract awarded to EFT Diversified, Inc on 7/16/18. Task Order awarded on 8/16/18. Repair work commenced on 9/22/18.
6. SOUTH PASS:
a. South Pass last dredging completed in 2007.
7. BAPTISTE COLLETTE:
a. Baptiste Collette: Bid Opening held on 4/9/19. Awarded to Crosby Dredging on 5/16/19.
8. TIGER PASS:
a. Tiger Pass last dredging completed on 11/5/12.
