The Corps’ Mississippi Valley New Orleans (MVN) District’s Lock and Waterway Status 60-Day Forecast as issued today (Wednesday, June 10, 2020) is available here.
The updated or revised status reports are highlighted in bold listing conditions on the Algiers, Bayou Boeuf and Old River Locks, and the East and West Calumet Floodgates.
ALGIERS LOCK:
The Algiers Lock will be closed to navigation for a scheduled one-day daylight closure on Thursday, June 11, 2020 (tomorrow) repair a guide wall mooring pin:
“Algiers Lock will be closed to navigation on Thursday, 11 June 2020, from 7 am until approximately 6:30 pm to make emergency repairs to a guide wall mooring pin.
CALCASIEU RIVER SALT WATER BARRIER:
The scheduled closure of the Calcasieu Salt Water Barrier has been postponed and is now scheduled to begin on June 17, 2020, the previous closure was scheduled to begin on June 1, 2020. The closure to navigation is expected to last 25-days and is necessary due to gate replacement operations:
“Beginning at 7:00 a.m. on 17 June 2020 and continuing through 7:00 p.m. on 11 July 2020, the Calcasieu River Saltwater Barrier Structure will be closed to navigation due to gate replacement operations.”
With the following still in effect:
“Calcasieu River Saltwater Barrier Structure is open to navigation in Open Pass Mode ONLY, until further notice. Mariners, if any vessels cannot safely navigate the structure without assistance, they should wait until conditions improve and they can do so.”
BAYOU BOEUF LOCK:
The replacement of the Bayou Boeuf Lock’s Chamber Guide Wall is underway and is scheduled to be completed in October 2020 with full details reproduced below:
“As of Wednesday, 11 Sep 2019 Bayou Boeuf Lock is closed to navigation from 7 am until 7 pm (Daylight Hours), Mondays thru Thursdays until approximately 26 Oct 2020 to construct the new south side chamber guide wall.”
OLD RIVER LOCK:
The Old River Lock requires the following procedures as repairs to the Bulkhead Lowering Carriage are conducted, the work has now been extended until September 30, 2020:
“The following procedures currently in effect have been extended through approximately 30 Sep 2020.
Due to repairs on the Lock Emergency Bulkhead Lowering Carriage, tows entering the Lock are urged to use extreme caution while approaching and entering the lock chamber. While approaching the Lock, the following are required for passage:
- Tows are to enter the Lock at DEAD SLOW speed.
- All tows are restricted to no longer than 1100’ in length.
- All tows will line up along the floating guide wall before proceeding.
- Two line-handlers with life vests and bumpers will be required on both approach and exiting of the Lock.
- Vessels must be moored by bow and stern lines to floating timberheads.”
EAST and WEST CALUMET FLOODGATES:
The East and West Calumet Floodgates remain closed due to heavy siltation in the channel:
“ Continuing until further notice, East and West Calumet Floodgate will remain closed to navigation due to heavy siltation in the channel making it unsafe for navigation.”
