LMR Dredging Update 81419.pdf

The Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley New Orleans (MVN) continues dredging operations in response to active shoaling deposited by historic long-term high river stages (record flood event created by record precipitation levels). There are three hopper dredges and two cutterhead dredges working in the area of Southwest Pass and three dustpan dredges working on the Crossings Above New Orleans.  The MVN continues efforts to secure a cutterhead dredge to respond to shoaling in the New Orleans Harbor.

 

TRANSIT RESTRICTIONS AT SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):                                  

1. The Bar Pilots maximum draft recommendation was increased to 44 feet (freshwater) at 1000 hours on Sunday, August 4, 2019.
2. The Crescent River Port Pilots maximum draft recommendation of 44 feet (freshwater)  remains in effect for their route.
3. The Federal Pilots maximum draft recommendation of 44 feet (freshwater) remains in effect for their route.

 

INDUSTRY HOPPER DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):

 NEWPORT:  The industry hopper dredge NEWPORT (Manson Construction) is dredging at the Head of Passes (Mile 1.0 Above Head of Passes [AHP] to Mile 0.2 Below Head of Passes [BHP]).  The NEWPORT is dredging under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #8-2019, this contract could be completed by the end of August but the MVN may extend this contract.

 STUYVESANT:  The industry hopper dredge STUYVESANT (Dutra Group) is dredging from Mile 10.0 BHP to Mile 10.2 BHP. The STUYVESANT began dredging under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Rental Contract #10-2019 on June 14, 2019 and is expected to continue dredging on this contract until October 1, 2019.

 

GOVERNMENT HOPPER DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):

 WHEELER: MVN’s hopper dredge WHEELER is at the MVN dock (New Orleans) for refueling and to undergo inspection by the U.S. Coast Guard.  The WHEELER is now expected to resume dredging under Red Flag Emergency Call Out #6-2019 (45-days) in SWP by Friday, August 16, 2019.

 

CUTTERHEAD DREDGE(S) IN SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):

 C.R. McCASKILL: Weeks Marine’s cutterhead dredge C.R. McCASKILL is dredging at Mile 6.32 BHP.  The cutterhead began dredging on July 24, 2019 on assignment from Mile 5.0 BHP to Mile 6.5 BHP on the western side of the channel under Southwest Pass Cutterhead Dredge Rental Contract #2-2019.

 CAPTAIN FRANK: Weeks Marine’s cutterhead dredge CAPTAIN FRANK is dredging at Mile 15.35 BHP on the assignment from Mile 14.3 BHP to 18.0 BHP. The dredge began working on Southwest Pass Cutterhead Dredge Rental Contract #2-2019 on July 28, 2019.

 

CUTTERHEAD DREDGE(S) IN THE HOPPER DREDGE DISPOSAL AREA (HDDA):

R.S. WEEKS: The industry cutterhead dredge R.S. WEEKS (Weeks Marine) continues dredging at the HDDA, all material is being beneficially used in the Pass A’Loutre Wildlife Management Area (PALWMA).  The contract is to remove 12 million cubic yards (mcy) of material, approximately 7.0 mcy of material have now been beneficially placed within the PALWMA.

 

DUSTPAN DREDGE(S) ON THE CROSSINGS ABOVE NEW ORLEANS:

WALLCE McGEORGE: The industry dustpan dredge WALLCE McGEORGE continues dredging the central 250 feet of channel at Alhambra Crossing (Mile 191 AHP).  The industry dustpan dredge commenced dredging on the Crossings on May 9, 2019.

The White Castle Anchorage (Mile 191.1 AHP to Mile 190.4 AHP) will be off limits for vessel usage while the WALLACE Mc GEORGE is working at Alhambra Crossing.  The NOBRA and Federal Pilots will keep the White Castle Anchorage clear of vessels until dredging operations are completed.  

 HURLEY: The Corps dustpan dredge HURLEY continues dredging operations on the central 250 feet of channel at Red Eye Crossing (Mile 224 AHP).  The government dustpan dredge commenced dredging on the Crossings on May 4, 2019.

JADWIN: The Corps dustpan dredge JADWIN is undergoing repairs to the cutterhead dredge ladder, the dredge is out of the channel at Belmont Crossing (Mile 154 AHP).  The dredge is expected to resume dredging at Belmont Crossing by August 19, 2019. The cutterhead dredge originally commenced dredging on the Crossings on June 27, 2019.

 

The Carrollton Gauge (New Orleans) reading at 1300 hours today was 10.43 feet, with a 24-hour change of – 0.41 feet. 

 

The Baton Rouge Gauge reading at 1415 hours today was 28.31 feet, with a 24-hour change of – 0.76 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.