US Gulf:
Intermittent weekday travel restrictions continued at Bayou Sorrel Lock due to guidewall replacement, with wait times reported in a 4-19 hour range on Jan. 1-2. Work at the site is tentatively set to run into March 2023, sources noted.
Repairs and maintenance at Colorado Lock, expected to continue through Jan. 27, slowed travel daily between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., prompting intermittent waits in a 5-13 hour range. Calcasieu Lock is expected to see a complete 4-5 day shutdown in late January.
The Atchafalaya River’s Little Island Pass, Middle Island Pass, and Riverside Pass were shut to commercial travel until further notice due to exposed underwater pipelines in the channel. Vessels were reported detouring through Port Allen Lock.
Port Allen Lock delays were noted in a 4-18 hour range through the week. Most Industrial Lock passages ran 4-11 hours, although intermittent delays ran as high as 35 hours on Jan. 1-2. Algiers Lock wait times topped out at 5-6 hours.
Mississippi River:
Travel conditions on the lower Mississippi River continued to improve during the week, sources said, with most tows noted returning to full capacity. The river’s largest towing vessels continued to see barge counts reduced by a 10-15%, however.
Conditions were forecast to worsen on the upper river. Northbound vessel drafts were capped at 8.5 feet for both liquid and dry tows moving through St. Louis during the week, sources said, while southbound tows were limited to nine-foot drafts. Southbound barge counts were reduced by 20% at St. Louis. Lingering slowdowns were also noted at St. Louis due to Winter Storm Elliott, as ice, fog, and reduced barge availability combined to delay navigation.
The St. Louis river gauge, posted at 2.44 feet on Jan. 4, was projected to fall below the 0.00-foot mark on Jan. 13. The Memphis gauge was posted at a Low-Stage 0.51 feet and rising on Jan. 4. Long-term weather forecasts suggested ongoing poor travel conditions persisting into mid-late January at a minimum.
Dredging at Mile 180-181 on the upper river was paused on Jan. 3 due to ice floes in the area, while dredging at Mile 42 was expected to trigger daily 12-hour shutdowns on Jan. 4-18. On the lower river, dredging near Memphis was reportedly on hold for the week due to pump repairs.
The primary chambers at Mel Price Lock and Chain of Rocks Lock shut Jan. 1 through March 31 for maintenance and repairs, although movements remained available through both sites’ auxiliary chambers. Delays were noted in a general 5-12 hour range through both locations.
I-10 bridge repairs necessitated a safety advisory at Miles 228-230 of the lower river, anticipated to continue through June 2023. Channel work at Miles 192-193 was scheduled for Jan. 2-13 and Jan. 16-21.
Illinois River:
Icy conditions were reported to impact Illinois River travel during the week. Ice couplings were required at Marseilles Lock and Peoria Lock on Jan. 4, and recommended at all other locks.
Tows traveling in the northbound direction were restricted to a maximum 12 barges due to the conditions, while tows moving to the south were assessed on an individual basis. Wickets were raised at Peoria Lock and LaGrange Lock for the week, triggering resumed lockages through both locations. Corps data showed Marseilles Lock waits up to 21 hours for the week, while delays ran up to 27 hours at Starved Rock Lock.
Starting in June, the river is scheduled to undergo a 120-day commercial shutdown due to large-scale lock maintenance.
Ohio River:
Low water levels and icy conditions were noted to limit drafts to a maximum nine feet on the Ohio River.
Planned work at Mile 13.3, postponed from Dec. 16-19 due to crane repairs, was slated to begin in mid-January. Auxiliary chamber closures at Belleville Lock and Racine Lock were scheduled to run Jan. 30 through Feb. 26, while Racine will follow with a main chamber shutdown lasting Feb. 26 through March 12. Greenup Lock will close its primary chamber March 13 through April 12.
Delays at Montgomery Lock were posted in a 6-21 hour range for the week. Corps data showed Meldahl Lock waits at 5-10 hours. Wait times at the Tennessee River’s Kentucky Lock were recorded up to 33 hours on Jan. 3-4, while tows waited up to 32 hours to pass Wilson Lock.
Arkansas River:
Daytime shutdowns at Norrell Lock were scheduled to continue through Jan. 20. Norrell is expected to shut for a 48-hour period on Jan. 30-31.