The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is focusing channel maintenance efforts on the Crossings Above New Orleans as Southwest Pass has mostly been restored to authorized channel dimensions. The dustpan dredges: HURLEY, JADWIN and WALLACE McGEORGE and the hopper dredge BAYPORT are all working on the Crossings Above New Orleans. The USACE hopper dredge WHEELER has resumed work in Southwest Pass.
TRANSIT RESTRICITIONS FOR SOUTHWEST PASS (SWP):
The Bar Pilots reported that at least two vessels bumped bottom while transiting SWP. The Bar Pilots issued a transit restriction that went into effect immediately on July 31, 2020 for all vessels with freshwater drafts of 46 feet or greater. Specifically, all vessels with freshwater drafts of 46 feet or greater must transit 3 hours before or after the daily high tide. The USACE is working to identify the areas of shoaling with coordinated channel surveys and to review options for a hopper dredge assignment.
DUSTPAN DREDGE(S) ON THE CROSSINGS ABOVE NEW ORLEANS:
The USACE continues dredging to restore or maintain at least the central 250 feet of the channel (authorized width is 500 feet) on the Crossings Above New Orleans as river stages continue to fall.
WALLACE McGEORGE: The industry dustpan dredge continues dredging the central 250 feet of the channel at Baton Rouge Front (Mile 232.0 AHP). The dustpan dredge is expected to begin a few days of private work at the Port of Baton Rouge starting tomorrow morning, the dustpan will return to work on the Crossings after this assignment. The WALLACE McGEORGE commenced dredging on the Crossings on Thursday, May 21, 2020.
HURLEY: The government dustpan dredge HURLEY continues dredging the central 250 feet of channel at Red Eye Crossing (Mile 224 AHP). The HURLEY commenced dredging on the Crossings on June 29, 2020 departed for Victoria Bend on July 18 and resumed dredging on the Crossings on August 3, 2020.
JADWIN: The government dustpan dredge commenced dredging full channel width (500 feet) at Belmont Crossing (Mile 154.0 AHP) this morning. The JADWIN began dredging on the Crossings on Thursday, May 21, 2020
INDUSTRY HOPPER DREDGE(S) ON THE CROSSINGS ABOVE NEW ORLEANS:
BAYPORT: The hopper dredge BAYPORT (Manson Construction) is now dredging the central 250 feet of channel at Sardine Point (Mile 219.0 AHP). The BAYPORT’s contract was recently extended another 30 days, the hopper dredge is now expected to complete this contract on approximately September 15, 2020. The BAYPORT commenced dredging on the Crossings on July 9, 2020.
GOVERNMENT HOPPER DREDGE(S) IN THE AREA OF SOUTHWEST PASS:
WHEELER: The USACE’s hopper dredge WHEELER has resumed dredging in Southwest Pass after completing repairs in dry dock. The WHEELER is dredging on the jetty end of Southwest Pass and is scheduled to work under Readiness Exercise #2-2020 until September 1, 2020.
The Carrollton Gauge (New Orleans) reading at 1400 hours today was 5.53 feet with a 24-hour change of + 0.32 feet.
NOAA’s National Weather Service’s Extended Streamflow Prediction (28-Day) for the Carrollton Gauge issued today indicates stages remaining steady for a few days and then beginning a slow fall to 3.3 feet on September 9, 2020.
The Baton Rouge Gauge reading at 1400 hours today was 18.22 feet with a 24-hour change of + 0.29 feet.
NOAA’s National Weather Service’s Extended Streamflow Prediction (28-Day) for the Baton Rouge Gauge issued today indicates a steady fall to 10.6 feet on September 9, 2020.
