U.S. Gulf:
With river levels above the 12-foot mark at New Orleans, travel restrictions through NOLA and the lower Mississippi River remained in place, reducing maximum barge counts and imposing minimum horsepower limits. The gauge at New Orleans was observed at 12.15 feet and rising slowly on April 26. Forecasts called for a 12.8-foot crest over the April 28-May 2 period, ahead of an expected fall below 12 feet on May 6.
Extended delays were observed at Leland Bowman Lock following a complete shutdown due to an equipment malfunction reported on April 24-25. Waits were noted peaking at 39 hours on April 25, before normalizing on April 26. Repairs expected late in the week were likely to trigger a renewed spike in wait times.
Brazos Lock was reportedly closed to daytime navigation through May 2, limiting Monday-through-Friday travel between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Waits were noted up to nine hours, falling from 20 hours in the prior report.
Bayou Sorrel Bridge maintenance blocked navigation between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., and again from 1:00 p.m. through 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Normal lock access was restored on Saturday and Sunday. Work at the site was expected to run into late May.
A guidewall replacement project in progress at Bayou Sorrel Lock was expected to continue into early 2023, blocking Monday-through-Friday travel between 6:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Delays fell below the five-hour mark during the week, down from 5-25 hours reported previously.
Bayou Chene travel continued to be unavailable nightly between 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. due to a floodgate construction operation. Tows were permitted access during daylight hours with lengths limited to 600 feet, while configurations wider than 54 feet were expected to utilize an assist vessel. Delays were projected in the 6-12 hour range.
Draft limits remained in place through Miles 113-116 of the Atchafalaya River, according to a Coast Guard posting, due to shoaling in the Morgan City, La., area. Barge and vessels drafts were allowed up to 10 feet, while tow lengths and widths were permitted to a maximum 600 feet and 70 feet, respectively. Barge strings longer than 400 feet were advised to travel with an assist vessel. Restrictions through the area could be avoided by detouring through the Port Allen Route.
Length and width restrictions remained in place at Algiers Lock, effectively limiting unassisted lockages to four standard barges or two 30,000 mt tankers per turn. Delays at the site were reported in the 18-36 hour range during the week, increasing from 4-22 hours in the prior report. Larger tows could pass when accompanied by an assist tug.
An ongoing construction operation at the Belle Chasse Bridge, located in the West Canal, was expected to continue through the end of 2022. Delays were anticipated up to 12 hours.
Port Allen Lock delays were noted up to six hours during the week, while boats passing Industrial Lock reported waits in a wide 4-26 hour range. Colorado Lock wait times were seen up to five hours.
Mississippi River:
Elevated river levels remained a significant hurdle to lower Mississippi River navigation, with action-stage waters reportedly slowing travel, reducing maximum barge counts, necessitating minimum horsepower controls on towing vessels, and establishing daylight-only bridge navigation for some larger vessels.
Following a 40.26-foot crest on April 25, the river gauge at Vicksburg, Miss., was noted falling to 39.8 feet on April 27. Forecasts called for a move below the 35-foot action stage on May 8.
The Baton Rouge, La., gauge was projected to crest at an action-stage 33.5 feet on April 27-28, ahead of a predicted shift below the 30-foot level on May 7. A flood warning was in effect on April 27 for the Mississippi River at Red River Landing, Baton Rouge, Donaldsonville, Reserve, and New Orleans.
A channel reinforcement operation planned to begin May 10 at the lower river’s Mile 807 is tentatively projected to continue for 30 days, shorter than the previous 60-90 day estimates. The project will likely block southbound travel daily between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., causing lengthy delays.
Lock 20 delays were reported up to six hours during the week. Corps data showed intermittent Lock 22 waits in a wide 5-16 hour range, while wait times at Lock 27 were quoted at 5-15 hours.
Illinois River:
Following weeks of elevated levels, the Illinois River fell out of action stage during the week. Depths at LaGrange Lock were observed dropping below the 21-foot action stage on April 24, measuring 20.21 feet and falling slowly on April 27. Both the LaGrange and Peoria gauges were reported above action stage one week earlier.
The reprieve could be short-lived, however. A flood warning on April 27 for the Illinois River at Beardstown and Havana was scheduled to remain in effect through May 3. Farther upriver, the Ottawa gauge was noted hovering shy of the 461-foot action stage at 459.75 feet on April 27.
Maintenance and repairs scheduled at Brandon Road Lock are projected to impact navigation between May 9 and Sept. 8, according to a Corps posting. Towing widths are expected to be capped at 70 feet. Navigation will be limited to nighttime hours only between May 9 and Aug. 14, while the lock will experience a complete shutdown from Aug. 15 through Sept. 4. Navigation will return to overnight-only status on Sept. 5-8. Travel hours are scheduled to return to normal on Sept. 9.
Wickets were noted in the lowered position at Peoria Lock and LaGrange Lock during the week, permitting tows to pass both locations without locking.
Ohio River:
Belleville Lock is expected to enter into a main chamber shutdown on May 1, prompting detours through the auxiliary chamber until June 29. Delays are predicted.
The Corps also announced a round of main chamber closures at Greenup Lock. The shutdown will run concurrently with Belleville between May 1 and June 29, with delays expected.
Cannelton Lock is closed to daytime travel weekly on Wednesdays and Thursdays through May 26, causing delays up to an expected 12 hours. A round of main chamber work at the site was proposed by the Corps to run from July 5 through Nov. 11.
A Corps proposal to shut the Hannibal Lock main chamber for repairs and maintenance would likely force detours through the secondary chamber between July 5 and Oct. 8.
On the Tennessee River, Wilson Lock was scheduled to resume main chamber operation on April 28, ending a period of extended delays. Waits were noted in a wide 2-5 day range for the week, falling from 3-6 days reported previously, as tows have been limited to locking one barge at a time through the secondary chamber.
Kentucky Lock delays tracked up to five hours during the week, falling from 5-18 hours in the prior report.
Cheatham Lock will undergo miter gate machinery repairs from May 16 through Aug. 5. Shutdowns at the site are expected to follow a repeating pattern of 11-day shutdowns, capped by a three-day period of unrestricted travel. Significant delays are predicted.
Arkansas River:
Repairs and maintenance at Norrell Lock will limit daytime transportation for 10-day stretches starting in June and continuing into January 2023. Navigation is projected to be unavailable from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily on June 1-11; June 22-July 21; Aug. 1-10; Aug. 21-Sept. 21; Sept. 3-Oct. 9; Oct. 20-Nov. 18; Nov. 29-Dec. 23; and Jan. 3-31, 2023.