US Gulf:
Two-hour waits continued between lockages at Leland Bowman Lock due to low water levels, although delays were much improved. Tows were reported waiting up to six hours to pass the site, falling from 24-56 hours noted one week earlier.
Harvey Lock remained shut to navigation due to reverse head conditions. BNSF railroad bridge repairs at Morgan City, La., blocked travel daily between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. The project is scheduled through Sept. 25.
Side gate repairs are scheduled to shut Algiers Lock from Oct. 2 to Dec. 1. Sources tied the work to damage sustained from a vessel collision in July. Bayou Sorrel Lock guidewall repairs prompted daily shutdowns from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., causing waits up to 24 hours. The effort is scheduled to continue into March 2024.
Brazos Lock repairs underway through Nov. 29 limited travel between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. daily, triggering delays up to 28 hours. Dredging at Bayou Chene is scheduled through Nov. 30, necessitating slow-travel warnings through the area.
Port Allen Lock saw 4-7 hour delays during the week, while tows waited up to 20 hours to pass Industrial Lock. Intermittent 4-6 hour wait times were reported at Colorado Lock.
Mississippi River:
Low-water conditions continued on the Lower Mississippi River, extending towing restrictions. Tows traveling upriver between the US Gulf region and Cairo, Ill., saw maximum loading drafts cut by 25-30%, while downriver drafts were reduced by 20-25%. Barge counts were restricted by 15-40% on the lower river, sources said, depending on location and horsepower, contributing to 48-72 hour delays.
Draft limits were cut by 15% on travel between Cairo and St. Louis, as well as through the St. Louis harbor. Maximum towing widths were restricted to four barges on the mid-Mississippi.
The Vicksburg, Miss., river gauge was noted at a low-stage (-)1.54 feet and holding on Sept. 21, while the Memphis gauge returned a low-stage (-)9.49-foot reading at midweek. St. Louis depths were posted at (-)1.96 feet on Sept. 21.
As groundings continue to be reported throughout the eastern river system, sources described at least four dredges in operation on the Lower Mississippi during the week, including at Miles 437, 487, 537, and 925. Dredging was also underway at Mile 28.6 of the upper river.
Upper-river locks are projected to begin closing for the winter navigation season on Dec. 5, with the spring reopening scheduled for March 5-11, 2024.
NOLA-loaded barges slated for delivery at or above Clinton, Iowa, were expected to conclude 2023 departures during the first week of October. Cargoes headed to ports below Clinton will continue loading through the third week of October. Locks 18-27 are expected to remain open through the winter.
Illinois River:
Illinois River draft reductions continued at 15% for the week due to low water levels. Wickets were reported up at Peoria Lock and LaGrange Lock, forcing lockages at both sites.
Repairs and maintenance underway at Brandon Road Lock, Dresden Island Lock, and Marseilles Lock are scheduled to conclude on Sept. 30. The work has effectively halted commercial navigation on the Illinois River since June.
Ohio River:
Maximum loading drafts remained at 10.0-10.5 feet on the Ohio River due to low water levels. Drafts were limited to 8.5 feet on the Monongahela River.
Dredging reported at Miles 967-975 was expected to run through Sept. 24. The project limited southbound travel to daylight hours, while northbound vessels were restricted to overnight navigation.
The John T. Myers Lock primary chamber is shut through Nov. 17, forcing detours through the secondary chamber. Delays were reported in a wide 16-52 hour range during the week.
The Montgomery Lock main chamber is offline for repairs and maintenance through Sept. 25. After the main chamber reopens, the auxiliary chamber will close on Sept. 25-Oct. 17 and Nov. 22-26. Additional main chamber shutdowns are scheduled for Oct. 17-Nov. 22 and Nov. 26-Dec. 22.
The land chamber at Smithland Lock is offline through Oct. 21 for repairs. The site’s river chamber will shut on Oct. 22-Nov. 20. Smithland tows were required to lock with an assist boat during the week due to strong outflows, sources said.
Arkansas River:
Joe Hardin Lock and Webbers Falls Lock were scheduled to return from planned repairs on Sept. 15 and Sept. 17, respectively.