U.S. Gulf:
With the river gauge at New Orleans continuing to track above the 12-foot mark, towing restrictions remained in effect between NOLA and Baton Rouge, La., for another week. The New Orleans gauge was observed at 12.25 feet and holding on May 2. Forecasts showed an expected dip below the 12-foot level as early as May 5, potentially marking an end to regional restrictions.
Longer-than-normal wait times continued to be reported at Leland Bowman Lock during the week, after an equipment malfunction was reported blocking lock operation in the prior report. Delays fell in the 4-11 hour range for the week, Corps data indicated.
Calcasieu Lock, located at Mile 238.5 in the West Canal, was reportedly shut for repairs Monday through Thursday, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The lock was scheduled to return to normal operating hours on May 20.
Regular travel was scheduled to return to the Brazos Locks system on May 2 following a run of restricted navigation during daylight hours. Access to the site had been limited between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Bayou Sorrel Bridge repairs triggered daily travel shutdowns between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., and again from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The project is scheduled to run into late May.
A planned guidewall construction project at Bayou Sorrel Lock, running currently and scheduled into early 2023, hindered lockages at the site between 6:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on weekdays, with normal operation returning on Saturday and Sunday. Wait times were reported up to 25 hours, rising from five hours in the prior week.
Bayou Chene accessibility was limited to between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. daily due to in-progress floodgate construction, a Coast Guard posting indicated. Tows were reportedly limited to 600 feet of length, while the use of an assist tug was required on tows with widths greater than 54 feet. Intermittent daylight-hour delays were expected due to dive operations, lasting approximately 6-12 hours at a stretch.
Shoaling reported at Miles 113-116 of the Atchafalaya River triggered ongoing draft restrictions in the Morgan City, La., area, according to a Coast Guard bulletin. Drafts were permitted at a maximum 10 feet, with tow lengths allowed up to 600 feet. Widths were capped at 70 feet, while configurations measuring longer than 400 feet were strongly advised to use an assist vessel. Vessels could avoid the restrictions via a detour through the Port Allen Route.
Algiers Lock length and width restrictions were reportedly in effect for the week, limiting unassisted lockages to four standard barges or two 30,000 mt tankers per pass. Tows traveling with an assist vessel were allowed to lock with higher barge counts, however. Waiting was reported in a wide 8-28 hour range.
Belle Chasse Bridge construction scheduled into late 2022 was anticipated to result in intermittent navigation stoppages. Delays were expected up to 12 hours at a time.
Wait times at Port Allen Lock were reported in the 8-20 hour range. Industrial Lock waits were observed in a 10-25 hour spread, while boats traveling through Calcasieu lock were typically delayed 6-13 hours during the week.
Mississippi River:
Fast-rising water levels on the middle Mississippi River led to fresh restrictions. Tows were reportedly limited to 20 barges on southbound travel between St. Louis and Cairo, Ill., with the constraints likely to continue through the week ahead.
The river gauge at St. Louis was expected to peak at 25.5 feet on May 5, shy of the 28-foot action stage. The Cairo gauge was projected to crest at an action-stage 32.3 feet on May 9-10. Persistent high water levels continued to snag traffic further downriver, reducing barge counts and limiting overnight bridge passage through a number of urban areas.
The river gauge at Baton Rouge returned an action-stage 32.85-foot reading on May 4. Levels are expected to hold above the 30.0-foot action-stage threshold through at least May 18. A Flood Warning dated May 3, in effect for the Mississippi River at Red River Landing, Baton Rouge, Donaldsonville, Reserve, and New Orleans, was scheduled to expire on May 7.
The Vicksburg, Miss., gauge registered an action-stage 36.7 feet and falling on May 4. Levels are expected to hover around the 35.0-foot action-stage threshold through May 17.
Lengthy travel delays were noted at Mel Price Lock through the early week after a collision closed the site’s main chamber on May 1-2. Waits were posted in a wide 6-17 hour range following the reopening, although travel times had largely normalized by May 4.
Channel reinforcement is scheduled to kick off on May 10 at the lower river’s Mile 807. Tentatively scheduled to continue for 30 days, the operation is expected to block southbound movements daily between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Lock 22 waits were posted up to 5.5 hours for the week, while tows required up to 10.5 hours to pass Lock 25.
Illinois River:
Heavy precipitation triggered swollen river levels and high flows on the Illinois Waterway. The conditions forced some vessels to pause travel, while others were unable to transit mid-river bridges due to clearance issues.
While river gauges at Peoria and LaGrange remained below restricted levels for the week, the gauge at Starved Rock Lock spiked to a minor-flood 450.56 feet and rising on May 4. Levels there were expected to crest at 451.8 feet on May 3-4 before falling out of action stage on May 7.
The Ottawa gauge, posted at an action-stage 46.55 feet and rising on May 4, was anticipated to fall out of action stage on May 5-6 following an expected May 4-5 crest at 461.8 feet. A Flood Warning dated May 4 for the Illinois River at LaSalle, Bureau, and Putnam Counties was scheduled to expire on May 5.
A repair and maintenance operation, scheduled to run from May 9 through Sept. 8 at Brandon Road Lock, is expected to impact navigation. Overnight-only movements will be in effect between May 9 and Aug. 14, followed by a total shutdown of the lock from Aug. 15 to Sept. 4. Overnight travel will return on Sept. 5-8, after which the lock is scheduled to resume normal availability on Sept. 9. A width limit of 70 feet will be in place on all tows traveling through the site while the operation is underway.
Wickets were reported down at both Peoria Lock and LaGrange Lock for the period, allowing boats to pass both sites without locking. Marseilles Lock delays were reported up to nine hours for the week. Starved Rock delays peaked at 17 hours on May 3-4.
Ohio River:
Belleville Lock is scheduled to observe a main chamber repair and maintenance shutdown from May 1 through June 29. Vessels were noted passing through the secondary chamber while work is underway.
Similar to Belleville Lock, Greenup Lock reportedly kicked off a main chamber repair project on a May 1 through June 29 schedule. Main chamber movements were likely to be limited, with delays expected. Wait times were reported up to 11 hours at both Belleville and Greenup Locks during the week.
Due to ongoing main chamber repairs, Cannelton Lock navigation was reportedly available during overnight hours only on Wednesdays and Thursdays, through May 26. An additional shutdown proposed to run from July 5 through Nov. 11 was expected to necessitate detours through the secondary chamber.
Hannibal Lock is tentatively scheduled to undergo a round of main chamber maintenance from July 5 through Oct. 8, a Corps notice indicated. If adopted, vessels will likely be relegated to the use of the site’s auxiliary chamber.
Despite the scheduled April 28 end to main chamber repairs at the Tennessee River’s Wilson Lock, delays at the lock continued to be reported up to 46 hours over the May 2-4 period, falling from 2-5 days in the prior report. Tows were reportedly limited to locking a single barge per turn while work was underway.
Wait times at Kentucky Lock fell in the 3-11 hour range through the week.
On the Cumberland River, Cheatham Lock miter gate machinery repairs scheduled for May 16 through Aug. 5 were projected to trigger significant waits. Shutdowns during the project were announced to follow an 11-days-on, three-days-off pattern, effectively allowing for a single three-day period of unrestricted travel every two weeks.
Arkansas River:
Norrell Lock repairs and maintenance will disallow daytime navigation through the lock 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. Locking will be unavailable daily between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. while work is underway.