U.S. Gulf:
Colorado Lock repairs are underway from July 26 through Sept. 9, closing the site to navigation daily between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Corps data showed waits up to seven hours during the week.
Bayou Sorrel Lock guidewall construction in progress through February 2023 was noted triggering intermittent transit stoppages between the hours of 6:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Normal 24-hour operation was scheduled to resume on Saturday and Sunday. Waits were quoted up to nine hours on Aug. 22.
Repairs underway at the Port Allen Route’s Bayou Sorrel Bridge were reported blocking Monday-through-Thursday traffic from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., and again from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., through late August.
Draft limits noted at a maximum 10 feet remained in place through the Morgan City, La., area of the Atchafalaya River due to extensive shoaling. In addition to the draft limits at Miles 113-117, tow lengths were capped at 600 feet, with widths limited to 70 feet. Tows running longer than 400 feet were encouraged to travel with an assist tug.
Potentially hazardous underwater pipes observed during a recent hydrograph of the Atchafalaya River were noted stopping movements through Little Island Pass, Middle Island Pass, and Riverside Pass. Tows could avoid the restrictions by running through the Port Allen Route, Coast Guard documents indicated.
Algiers Lock length and width limits continued to restrict unassisted tows to four standard barges or two 30,000 mt tankers per pass, while tows traveling with an assist boat were allowed to lock with longer strings. Intermittent delays were reported in a wide 11-25 hour range during the week.
Construction efforts underway at the Belle Chasse Bridge, located at Mile 3 of the West Canal, triggered intermittent navigation shutdowns lasting up to 12 hours at a time. The project was scheduled to run through the end of the year.
Most Port Allen Lock delays were reported at 5-10 hours, although a small number of vessels required 18-16 hours to pass. Industrial Lock wait times were observed in a wide 6-26 hour range.
Mississippi River:
Falling water levels impacted lower river travel, with the primary effect described as a reduction in maximum tow sizes, depending on vessel horsepower. Tows were reportedly reduced by 10-15% from normal capacity, with northbound drafts capped at 10.5 feet. Draft limits on southbound tows were noted at 11.6 feet between Cairo, Ill., and Rosedale, Miss., but were heard returning to 18 feet from Rosedale to the Gulf.
A flood warning was in place on Aug. 24 for lower Mississippi River tributaries in the Vicksburg, Miss., area. The warnings were due to remain in effect until further notice.
Bank grading work underway since July 7 at Mile 344 was scheduled to conclude on Aug. 24, ending a period of daylight-hour shutdowns for tows running in the downriver direction. The project was expected to move to Mile 336 from Aug. 25 to Sept. 28, triggering intermittent travel shutdowns for the remainder of the operation.
A safety advisory was in place at Miles 228-230 of the lower river due to repairs to the I-10 bridge. The project was expected to trigger intermittent navigation outages through the first half of 2023.
Daytime shutdowns at Old River Lock, which began on July 28, were noted limiting transits daily from 6:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. through Aug. 29. Following the end of daytime closures, the lock is scheduled to shut completely for miter gate installation from Aug. 30 through Nov. 13, blocking all travel. Tows seeking access to the Red River during the shutdown can detour through the Atchafalaya River.
Due to the upper Mississippi River’s impending closure for the winter navigation season, barges departing from NOLA and destined for unloading at Dubuque, Iowa, or above were expected to see most final releases during the second week of October, sources indicated. Cargoes headed below Dubuque will continue to depart through the third week of October.
Intermittent Lock 22 wait times were posted in a 4-6 hour range during the week.
Illinois River:
Transit was completely unavailable at Brandon Road Lock through the week due to a repair and maintenance operation in progress at the site since May 9. Access to the lock was scheduled to remain unavailable through Sept. 4, after which overnight-only navigation is slated for Sept. 5-8. Normal locking hours will resume on Sept. 9. Towing widths are limited to 70 feet on all lockages while the project is underway.
Wickets remained up at both Peoria Lock and LaGrange Lock during the week due to low water levels, necessitating continued locking through both locations. Peoria Lock waits were quoted at 17 hours on Aug. 24.
Ohio River:
The Cannelton Lock primary chamber is reportedly shut for miter gate replacement from July 5 through Nov. 11, necessitating passage through the site’s secondary chamber. Most tows were expected to require at least two lockages to pass the location, triggering wait times in the 7-18 hour range.
The Hannibal Lock main chamber is shut to navigation through Oct. 8 due to ongoing miter gate and quoin repairs. Tows were noted passing through the secondary chamber. Work at the site kicked off on July 5.
Waits were observed up to seven hours at Montgomery Lock. Meldahl Lock delays were reported at 14-24 hours on Aug. 23-24.
A salvage operation was planned to block navigation at the Tennessee River’s Miles 169-179 on Aug. 29, triggering expected delays in the 12-24 hour range. The shutdown could repeat on Aug. 31 if unsuccessful on the first go-around.
Kentucky Lock wait times were posted up to 28.5 hours during the week. Boats transiting Wilson Lock faced delays up to nine hours.
Arkansas River:
Norrell Lock shut daytime navigation on Aug. 21 for planned repairs, blocking navigation daily between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. through Sept. 21. The closures are scheduled to be repeated on Oct. 20-Nov. 18; Nov. 29-Dec. 23; and Jan. 3-31, 2023. The site is scheduled to undergo a complete shutdown from Sept. 30 through Oct. 9.
Joe Hardin Lock navigation will be subject to daytime closures on Sept. 12-19, and again on Sept. 28-29. A total navigational outage is scheduled for Sept. 30 through Oct. 9.