The USCG has issued a Notice to Mariners announcing the establishment of emergency anchorage space for use during High Water and Fog Conditions.

Note there is ongoing federal rule-making in place to establish the added anchorage space permanently.  Until that process is finalized, the space will be available on an emergency basis as described below.

In accordance with 33 Cude of Federal Regulations 110.195 (b), the following temporary anchorages are being established only as emergency anchorages to alleviate vessel congestion and plan for use during High Water and Fog Conditions. No vessel shall occupy these temporary anchorage areas unless expressly authorized by Vessel Traffic Service New Orleans.

The following existing anchorages are being temporarily extended to include the below mile markers only.

Existing descending banks and widths, as outlined in 33 CFR 195 remain unchanged.

• Boothville Anchorage: An area, 0.95 miles in length, from Mile 12.05, AHOP – Mile 13.0, AHOP.
• Point Michel Anchorage: An area, 0.8 miles in length, from Mile 40.0, AHOP – Mile 40.8, AHOP.
• Magnolia Anchorage: An area, 0.1 miles in length, from Mile 45.4, AHOP – Mile 45.5, AHOP.
• Davant Anchorage: An area, 1.4 miles in length from Mile 52.5, AHOP – Mile 53.9, AHOP.
• Lower 9 Mile Point Anchorage: An area, 0.1 miles in length, from Mile 82.6, AHOP – Mile 82.7, AHOP.

The new Phoenix Anchorage is as follows:

• An area, 0.6 miles in length, along the LDB, of the Lower Mississippi River, extending from Mile 57.82, AHOP to Mile 58.42, AHOP.
• The width of the anchorage is 400 feet.
• The inner boundary of the anchorage is a line parallel to the nearest bank 400 feet from the water’s edge into the river as measured from the Low Water Reference Plane.
• The outer boundary of the anchorage is a line parallel to the nearest bank 800 feet from the water’s edge into the river as measured from the Low Water Reference Plane.