U.S. Gulf:
The ongoing high-water closure at Bayou Sorrel Lock remained in place for the week, essentially shutting the Port Allen Route to all but local travel. Travel through the site has been halted since May 11, and forecasts predicted the shutdown to persist through a likely June 15-18. Dredging penciled to begin at Bayou Sorrel on June 10 was scheduled to run through July 8, with navigation minimally impacted.
Port Allen Lock travel was limited to local vessels only. Unassisted westbound lockages were capped at a single barge per turn, while boats with two or more cargoes in tow were required to make use of an assist vessel. Tows traveling eastward without assistance were capped at 650 feet of length.
Due to the Bayou Sorrel Lock and Port Allen Lock closures, tows were reported detouring through Algiers Lock, effecting lengthy delays. Waits were heard in a 26-39 hour range, with 27 tows queued to lock on June 8.
Ongoing locking restrictions compounded the delays at Algiers, sources indicated. Unassisted travel through the site was restricted to four standard barges or two 30,000 mt tankers, while lengthier tows were permitted to pass when accompanied by an assist vessel. All told, the detours and restrictions combined to increase travel times between the lower Mississippi River and West Canal by approximately one week.
An electrical malfunction was noted blocking operation of the Florida Avenue drawbridge on June 7-8, located adjacent to Industrial Lock, forcing a total halt to navigation through both structures. Waits noted up to 17 hours on June 8 were projected to slowly thin to normal levels by June 10.
Bayou Chene overnight transit remained unavailable due to construction activities and diver operations. The route was shut nightly between 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., triggering 6-12 hour stoppages. The project was tentatively set to conclude on June 15.
River levels at Baton Rouge were noted flirting with the 30-foot action stage during the week, although forecasts projected a June 15 crest shy of the key 30-foot level, at 29.6 feet. An unseen precipitation event could tip the upper Gulf into restricted territory once again, however, sources speculated.
Harvey Lock waits were clocked up to 50 hours for the week, while 4-9 hour crossings were observed at Bayou Boeuf Lock on June 7-8. Boats locking through the Colorado Floodgates were subject to intermittent 37-hour wait times. Brazos Lock travel carried delays up to 36 hours, according to Corps documents. Intermittent storm delays were noted in the Gulf and Canals through June 9.
Mississippi River:
A grounded vessel was heard blocking travel through the lower Mississippi River’s Victoria Bend, located at Mile 595, for approximately 12 hours on June 5. Following the return of navigation through the area, the Corps was noted keeping an eye out for signs of shoaling, leading sources to brace for possible dredging activities and associated slowdowns in the weeks ahead.
A new round of dredging activity was noted at Mile 757 on the upper river. Sources predicted daytime navigation disturbances while activities are underway.
Burlington Railroad Bridge repairs continued to complicate daylight-hour transit through the upper river’s Mile 410. Transit remains available through the bridge while the operation is underway, although contractors were noted requiring advance notice of at least one hour prior to arrival. Work heard running from 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. daily was slated to run into the second half of June.
Difficult river conditions necessitated ongoing restrictions between St. Louis and Cairo, Ill. Five-barge cuts remained in place for the week, reducing the region’s typical 25-cargo capacity by 20 percent.
Daylight-hour shutdowns for miter gate installation remain scheduled at Lock 2 in July, expected to result in intermittent 4-12 hour closures. Daytime shutdowns for guidewall repairs at Lock 25 were predicted for both July and August, blocking access daily between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Delays were heard up to 10 hours at Lock 25 for the week, while nine-hour waits were reported through Mel Price Lock and Dam.
Illinois River:
Falling water levels allowed lock operators to begin raising wickets at LaGrange Lock on June 7, signaling a return to locking on June 8. Waits were noted up to nine hours during the switchover. Wickets continued to be reported in the lowered position at Peoria Lock on June 9, allowing vessels to transit the site via the nonlocking navigational pass.
Ohio River:
The primary chamber at Meldahl Lock is closed through June 29 for machinery repairs. Vessels were noted passing through the site’s 600-foot auxiliary chamber while work is underway, prompting delays in a general 5-13 hour range, down from 37.5 hours noted previously. Intermittent shutdowns affecting both chambers were also noted periodically halting movements through the site.
The auxiliary chamber at New Cumberland Lock was scheduled to return from a repair and maintenance shutdown after June 10, normalizing movements through the structure.
Markland Lock’s auxiliary lock chamber is offline through an estimated Oct. 29 due to structural cracks in the miter gate discovered more than one year ago. Passage through the chamber has been unavailable since early 2020.
The primary chamber at Cannelton Lock is due to close June 21 through Nov. 19 for repairs and maintenance, forcing detours through the site’s secondary chamber. Significant delays are anticipated while the project is underway.
The Tennessee River’s Pickwick Lock and Wheeler Lock were reported shut between 6:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on June 7-10 for inspections. Guntersville Lock and Nickajac Lock travel will be unavailable during daylight hours on June 14-17, while inspections will block Wilson Lock travel during the daytime on June 28 through July 1. Kentucky Lock delays were reported up to 20 hours on June 8-9.
Arkansas River:
Elevated river levels and fast flows triggered ongoing tow-size restrictions on the Arkansas River, cutting maximum lengths by 3-6 cargoes from the typical 12-barge limit. Forecasts predicted a possible return to normal operation by June 13.
Navigation through David D. Terry Lock is set to be completely unavailable Aug. 27 through Sept. 9 for a planned dewatering and repair project. Intermittent stoppages are anticipated ahead of the full shutdown on Aug. 16-26, as contractors work to get machinery and materials in place.