The dredging contract for the Spanish Pass Ridge and Marsh Restoration Project was awarded to Weeks Marine the contract will remove sediment from a borrow area that includes portions of the Lower Venice Anchorage (Mile 9.6 Above Head of Passes [AHP] to Mile 8.0 AHP). A diagram of the borrow area is HERE. Weeks intends to remove the material with their cutterhead dredge C.R. McCASKILL the material will be pumped from the eastern side of the Mississippi River Ship Channel to the areas in Spanish Pass on the western side of Venice, Louisiana.
In order to pump the material across the Ship Channel, Weeks will install a submerged dredge pipeline passing under the Ship Channel from east to west. This restoration project is not being conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) but by the Coastal
Protection and Restoration Authority although the USACE is assisting to ensure the navigation channel is not negatively impacted. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) is expected to issue a Marine Information Safety Bulletin (MSIB) at a later date.
Updates will be issued when more details and actual dates are confirmed, the 12-hour closure will most likely be scheduled in mid-April.
The crossing of the pipeline is expected to occur at approximately Mile 9.5 AHP and will require a complete closure of the Ship Channel in the immediate area. The USCG would most likely close the Ship Channel to all marine traffic for a distance extending one mile above and one mile below the actual location of the submerge dredge pipeline (MSIB).
Weeks Marine expects to schedule this closure in the month of April and would utilize a 12-hour closure with a scheduled back-up 48 hours later in case of weather complications (fog) or unforeseen delays with dredge equipment. The contractor would like to conduct the pipeline placement when the Carrollton Gauge (New Orleans) is below 10 feet, present forecasts indicate that occurring in early April but the long range river stage forecast is subject to change. There are other factors that must also be considered, no dates for the prospective closure have been scheduled, please accept this notification as a placeholder until more details are confirmed.
PROSPECTIVE CHANNEL CLOSURE:
TUESDAY, APRIL XX, 2021:
0600 hours to 1800 hours: all vessels are restricted from transiting between Mile 10.5 AHP to Mile 8.5 AHP (estimated if pipeline crosses at Mile 9.5 AHP – more details on the actual crossing location and specific closure information is forthcoming).
This closure will be utilized to install the dredge pipeline across the Ship Channel.
PROSPECTIVE CHANNEL CLOSURE:
THURSDAY, APRIL XX, 2021:
0600 hours to 1800 hours: all vessels are restricted from transiting between Mile 10.5 AHP to Mile 8.5 AHP (estimated if pipeline crosses at Mile 9.5 AHP – more details on the actual crossing location and specific closure information is forthcoming).
THIS CLOSURE WOULD ONLY BE UTILIZED IF THE PIPELINE INSTALLATION WAS NOT COMPLETED IN THE FIRST CLORUSRE OR IF THE FIRST CLOSURE WAS DELAYED DUE TO FOG OR OTHER REASONS.
