US Gulf:
Navigation through Harvey Lock has remained unavailable since Oct. 2 due to low water conditions on the lower Mississippi River.
A Bayou Sorrel Lock guidewall replacement project currently in progress is slated to continue into March 2023, prompting irregular lock shutdowns between 6:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The lock returned to normal navigation hours on Saturday and Sunday. Delays were posted at 3-4 days on Nov. 14.
On the Atchafalaya River, commercial navigation was completely shut through Little Island Pass, Middle Island Pass, and Riverside Pass due to the presence of exposed underwater pipelines. Detours were possible via the Port Allen Route.
Length and width restrictions for tows passing Algiers Lock reportedly limited unassisted lockages to four standard barges or two 30,000 mt tankers per turn. Tows locking with an assist tug were permitted longer strings, sources said. Waits were reported up to 11 hours early in the week.
Bayou Boeuf Lock delays were reported at 2-3 days, while wait times at Colorado Lock were noted at four days on Nov. 14. Boats passing Brazos Lock saw delays up to 11 hours, while Leland Bowman Lock wait times were observed at 3-4 days.
Mississippi River:
Low water levels continued to impact shipping on the lower Mississippi River during the week, although recent rains gave a partial reprieve.
Depths were at (-)4.11 feet and rising at Memphis, Tenn., on Nov. 16, and were projected to crest at 0.7 feet on Nov. 20-21 before receding to (-)3.7 feet on Nov. 30. The Vicksburg, Miss., gauge was reported at 3.06 feet on Nov. 16, and was expected to reach an 8.3-foot peak on Nov. 24-25 before dropping to 6.7 feet on Nov. 30. The St. Louis gauge was reported at 2.97 feet on Nov. 16, but was projected to fall below the 0.0-foot mark on Nov. 26.
Draft restrictions continued to hold at 9.0 feet in both the northbound and southbound directions for solid cargoes, while liquid cargoes were steady at a maximum 8.5 feet of draft. Draft limits were further reduced to as little as 7.0 feet at some docks and harbors, sources said.
Vessels traveling in the southbound direction saw barge limits restricted to 25 cargoes, down from the typical 30-40 barges. Per-vessel capacity continued to be cut by up to 50% or more compared to normal levels, sources said.
Dredging at Stack Island, located at Miles 485-486, was scheduled to end on Nov. 14. The project had triggered navigation stoppages lasting up to 48 hours at a time.
A revetment operation at Mile 344 was expected to wrap up on Nov. 17 before moving to Mile 336. Work at the new location was likely to block travel from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily on Nov. 17-25.
Ongoing repairs to the I-10 Bridge triggered a blanket safety advisory at Miles 228-230. Old River Lock was scheduled to reopen on Nov. 13, restoring direct access to the Red River.
On the upper river, low water levels held drafts to 9.0 feet in the St. Louis Harbor, although barges with corners below 9.5 feet were permitted to move through the area. Dredging continued at the upper river’s Mile 184, prompting delays up to 24 hours at the Chain of Rocks Lock on Nov. 13-14. Work was expected to conclude on Nov. 14.
Illinois River:
Dredging began on Nov. 11 at Miles 215-216, in the Clark Island area. Work was scheduled to run 24 hours per day until further notice. Dredging also kicking off at Mile 144.5 on Nov. 14, and will run 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily until further notice, a Corps notice indicated.
The Corps established a safety zone at Miles 19.5-21 on Nov. 14-18 due to power line work in the area.
Ohio River:
Low water levels on the Ohio River continued to require 9-foot draft restrictions for the full lengths of the Ohio River, Tennessee River, and Cumberland River.
Dredging was reported in the Mound City, Mo., area, located at Miles 965-974 of the Ohio River. The operation was reportedly aimed at gaining one extra foot of travel clearance at Cairo, Ill.
The Cannelton Lock main chamber reopened from a miter gate replacement operation on Nov. 11, ending a period of wait times delaying tows for up to 54 hours at a time. Delays lingered in the 4-19 hour range through Nov. 15, according to Corps data.
The primary chamber at Montgomery Lock is shut through Dec. 16 for repairs and maintenance, forcing traffic through the secondary chamber. Delays were reported at 4-7 days during the week, rising from 2-4 days reported previously.
Arkansas River:
Norrell Lock repairs were scheduled to block daylight-hour navigation at the site through an estimated Nov. 20, stopping traffic daily between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., while tow widths were capped at 70 feet on overnight lockages. The site will undergo a complete shutdown on Jan. 30-31, 2023.