U.S. Gulf:
Emergency repairs closed Port Allen Lock to all navigation on Feb. 3. At least 26 tows were queued to pass on Feb. 8, with wait times counted up to 5.5 days. The delays were expected to slowly taper after lockages were restored.
Brazos Lock was closed to vessel traffic during daylight hours, Monday through Friday, through at least the end of February. Corps data showed Brazos Lock delays up to 31.5 hours on Feb. 8.
Guidewall repairs at Industrial Lock were scheduled to conclude on Feb. 11 after kicking off on Feb. 7. During the project, intermittent transit interruptions were noted daily between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., with delays reported in a wide 10-25 hour range.
COVID-related labor shortages impacted the eastern river system during the week, with shorthanded operation reported throughout every phase of Gulf and river transport. The issue was expected to add “days” to average transit times through the short term.
Demolition of the Bayou Sorrel Lock southwest guidewall, scheduled to run from Feb. 8 through March 3, will trigger intermittent lock closures, sources said.
Monday-through-Friday navigation at Bayou Boeuf Lock continued to be limited to 7:00 p.m. through 7:00 a.m. due to ongoing maintenance operations. Lockages were available on a 24-hour schedule on Saturdays and Sundays.
Bayou Chene travel was restricted to 7:00 a.m. through 7:00 p.m. daily due to ongoing floodgate construction. Tows were capped at 600 feet of length, while an assist boat was necessary for configurations wider than 54 feet. Additionally, the waterway was subject to sporadic total closures for dive operations, with waits expected in the 6-12 hour range.
Towing restrictions were ongoing at the Atchafalaya River’s Mile 113-116, centered in the Morgan City area, due to shoaling. Maximum drafts were reduced to 10 feet, according to a Coast Guard posting, with tow sizes capped at 600 feet of length and 70 feet of width. Tows running longer than 400 feet were strongly advised to use an assist vessel. Captains were advised to bypass the restrictions by detouring through the Port Allen Route.
Restrictions on towing lengths and widths remained in effect on travel through Algiers Lock during the week, essentially limiting unassisted lockages to four standard barges or two 30,000 mt tankers per pass. Larger movements were permitted when accompanied by an assist vessel, however.
Construction efforts at the Belle Chasse Bridge were scheduled to run through late 2022, resulting in intermittent shutdowns lasting up to 12 hours at a time. Belle Chasse Bridge is located at Mile 3 in the West Canal.
Mississippi River:
Low-water conditions continued to be reported in the St. Louis area, necessitating ongoing towing restrictions. Draft limits were noted in the 9.5-10 foot range throughout the lower river, dependent on vessel location and direction.
The gauge at St. Louis returned a (-)1.01-foot reading on Feb. 9. Depths were projected to hold below the 0.00-foot mark for two weeks, sinking to an expected (-)1.9 feet on Feb. 22. Ice formation in the area during the week was expected to further impact navigation.
A rock-laying project in progress at the lower Mississippi River’s Mile 642 was scheduled to continue through late February. The effort was primarily affecting tows moving in the southbound direction, with delays reported up to 12 hours.
On the upper Mississippi River, Locks 1-20 were closed to vessel traffic for the winter navigation season. Most upper river locks were scheduled to begin opening for spring navigation on March 22, a delay from the previously scheduled March 3-21 window.
Illinois River:
Navigational slowdowns on the Illinois River were reported due to cold and ice conditions stemming from Winter Storm Landon, which swept through the region in the prior week. Navigation was projected to slowly normalize over the week ahead.
Frigid temperatures necessitated ongoing ice coupling use through all locks on the river, and barge counts were reduced by approximately 25 percent. O’Brien Lock was closed to navigation for the week.
Marseilles Lock wait times were posted above 12 hours on Feb. 8-9, while vessels transiting Starved Rock Lock were delayed up to 21 hours. Corps data showed nine-hour waits at Peoria Lock on Feb. 7. Boats passing LaGrange Lock were subject to 13-hour delays.
Repairs and maintenance are projected to impact Brandon Road Lock movements between May 9 and Sept. 8. Daytime travel is scheduled to be unavailable from May 9 through Aug. 14, followed by a total navigational shutdown running from Aug. 15 through Sept. 4.
Overnight-only operation will resume on Sept. 5-8, followed by an expected 24-hour opening starting on Sept. 9. A 70-foot width limit will be enforced on all lockages while the project is underway.
Ohio River:
Newburgh Lock reportedly suffered an emergency shutdown on Feb. 7 due to loose barges in the area. Work underway to collect the barges and reopen the lock was expected to conclude sometime over the Feb. 9-12 period. Delays through the lock were posted up to 26 hours on Feb. 9.
A repair project initiated on Jan. 26 at Cannelton Lock was impacting daylight-hour travel weekly on Wednesdays and Thursdays. The project is currently slated to run through May 26.
Main chamber repairs are set to begin at Emsworth Lock on Feb. 22, a Corps posting indicated. Tows will be limited to passage through the secondary chamber, with lockages capped at a single barge per pass. Significant delays are expected through the project’s end on April 16.
The Dashields Lock secondary chamber remained closed to navigation during the week due to an underwater obstruction blocking operation of the chamber’s lower miter gate. Locking was available through the primary chamber. The site’s primary chamber is scheduled to shut on March 7-31, followed by a round of secondary-chamber repairs slated for the April 1-22 period.
The main chamber at Belleville Lock is scheduled to close to navigation from May 2 through June 22 for repairs and maintenance, prompting traffic to pass through the secondary chamber.
A proposal to shut the Hannibal Lock main chamber for repairs would impact travel between July 5 and Oct. 8, Corps data indicated. A possible Cannelton Lock shutdown would run from July 5 through Nov. 11, forcing boats to pass through the auxiliary chamber.
On the Tennessee River, Kentucky Lock remains fully shut to navigation through Feb. 24 due to ongoing repairs. Detours were routing vessels through Barkley Lock, adding 1-2 days of transit time in each direction.
Primary chamber repairs are scheduled to run from Feb. 23 through April 28 at Wilson Lock, forcing detours through the site’s auxiliary chamber. The Corps has currently scheduled a single six-day main chamber opening during the project, set for March 18-23. Delays were expected to swell to seven days or more while work is underway. Wilson Lock delays were noted up to 31 hours for the week, rising from 18 hours reported previously.
A Coast Guard notice described repairs underway at the RJ Corman Railroad Bridge, located at Mile 126.6 on the Cumberland River. The project, scheduled to run through approximately March 1, was not expected to result in significant delays.
Cheatham Lock repairs proposed for May 16 through Aug. 4 would likely trigger delayed navigation through the area, if the project proceeds.