The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) continues Fiscal Year 2024 (FY 24) channel maintenance dredging with the dustpan dredges WALLACE McGEORGE and HURLEY working on the Crossings and the industry hopper dredge GLENN EDWARDS (Manson Construction) working in Southwest Pass. The dustpan dredges are focusing on restoring the central 250 feet of the channel (half channel width) first, the authorized channel width is 500 feet.
DUSTPAN DREDGES WORKING ON THE CROSSINGS ABOVE NEW ORLEANS:
WALLACE McGEORGE: The industry dustpan dredge WALLACE McGEORGE (Pine Bluff Sand & Gravel) continues dredging on assignment at Bayou Goula (Mile 198 AHP). The dustpan dredge began dredging on the Crossings (Alhambra Crossing) on June 14, 2024.
HURLEY: The government dustpan dredge HURLEY continues dredging at Medora Crossing (Mile 212 AHP). The dustpan began dredging for the season at Rede Eye Crossing on June 17, 2024.
JADWIN: The government dustpan dredge JADWIN is expected to begin dredging on the Crossings later this week.
INDUSTRY HOPPER DREDGES WORKING IN THE AREA OF SOUTHWEST PASS:
GLENN EDWARDS: The GLENN EDWARDS (Manson Construction) is dredging on assignment from Mile 1.0 Below Head of Passes (BHP) to Mile 6.6 BHP. The GLENN EDWARDS began work under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Contract #2-2023 a Fiscal Year 2023 Early Award Hopper Contract on March 4, 2024.
MAXIMUM DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS PER PILOT ASSOCIATION:
(UNCHANGED SINCE July 7, 2023, other than the flocculation-based restriction noted below)
The updated maximum draft recommendation for each Pilot Association as adjusted by the Mississippi River Ship Channel Deepening is detailed below:
Associated Branch Pilots of the Port of New Orleans (Bar Pilots): The Bar Pilots returned their maximum draft recommendation to 50 feet (freshwater) on July 6, 2023. The Bar Pilots originally increased their maximum draft recommendation to 50 feet (freshwater) on March 16, 2022, prior to the temporary reduction to 49 feet from May 22 to July 6 (2023). The Bar Pilots originally implemented the flocculation-based transit restriction at 1000 hours on June 6, 2024, limiting all inbound vessels with drafts of 38-feet or greater to transit 10 hours before or 4 hours after high tide. On June 13, the flocculation-based transit restriction was adjusted based on continuing transit challenges, the adjustment limits all inbound vessels with drafts of 38-feet or greater to transit 6 hours before or 4 hours after high tide. The Bar Pilots removed all flocculation-based transit restrictions yesterday, June 30, 2024 (official notice is attached).
Crescent River Port Pilots Association (CRPPA): The CPPRA raised their maximum draft recommendation to 50 feet (freshwater) in coordination with the Bar Pilots on July 7, 2023, after also temporarily reducing their maximum draft to 49 feet (freshwater).
New Orleans Baton Rouge Steamship Pilots Association (NOBRA): The NOBRA returned their maximum draft recommendation to 50 feet (freshwater) from Mile 175 AHP to Mile 88 AHP on July 7, 2023. The maximum draft recommendation from Mile 175 to 180 remains 47 feet and from Mile 180 to Mile 233.8 it remains 45 feet.
Associated Federal Pilots and Docking Masters of Louisiana (Federal Pilots): The Federal Pilots increased their maximum draft recommendations to the following to match the draft adjustment to 50 feet by the other Pilot Associations.
- 50 feet from Sea Buoy to Mile 175 AHP
- 45 feet Mile 175 AHP to 232.4 AHP
- 40 feet Mile 232.4 AHP to 233.8 AHP
The controlling maximum freshwater draft for the MRSC from Mile 175 AHP (Smoke Bend) to the Southwest Pass Sea Buoy is 50 feet (freshwater) remains unadjusted since July 7, 2023.
Mississippi River Stages and Forecast Updates:
The Carrollton Gage (New Orleans) reading at 1000 hours today was 4.73 feet with a 24-hour change of + 0.06 feet. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service Extended Streamflow Prediction (28-Day) for the Carrollton Gage issued today forecasts stages will remain steady near 4.3 feet until July 10 and will then resume a slow rise to 5.1 feet on July 19 and will then fall to 5.0 feet on July 29 (2024).
The Baton Rouge Gage reading at 1000 hours was 15.62 feet with a 24-hour change of – 0.55 feet. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service Extended Streamflow Prediction (28-Day) for the Baton Rouge Gauge issued today forecasts stages will slowly fall to 14.4 feet on July 7 and then slowly rise to 16.5 feet on July 19 and will then begin a slow fall to 15.7 feet on July 29 (2024).
