US Gulf:
Algiers Lock is closed for gate repairs through Dec. 1. Vessels were reported detouring through the Port Allen Route, adding 24-48 hours to travel times.
Guidewall repairs shut Bayou Sorrel Lock from 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily, resulting in 15-25 hour delays for the week. Tows arriving before 4:30 p.m. were permitted to lock before the next morning’s shutdown, regardless of the hour. The closures, scheduled until March 2024, will be temporarily suspended whenever wait times exceed the 24-hour mark, sources said. Concrete work is scheduled to completely close the site on Oct. 31.
Low head conditions continued to limit Harvey Lock movements following the site’s Oct. 16 reopening. Tows were limited to 300-foot lengths and 70-foot widths during the week, resulting in waits up to 32 hours. Harvey had been shut since June 15 due to reverse head conditions.
Brazos Lock saw limited availability between 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily, scheduled to continue until Nov. 29. Intermittent wait times were noted up to 20 hours through the week. Dredging at Bayou Chene, slated to run through Nov. 30, prompted slow-travel warnings in the area.
Planned maintenance at the Ellender Bridge, located at Mile 243 of the West Canal, will block navigation from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Nov. 11-12, and again on Nov. 18-19.
Port Allen Lock delays were observed at 2-3 days due to congestion from the Algiers Lock shutdown, falling from 2-4 days at last report. Industrial Lock waits topped out at five hours.
Mississippi River:
Low water levels continued on the Mississippi River during the week, though forecasts hinted at improving conditions headed into November.
The river gauge at Memphis, Tenn., was posted at a low-stage (-)9.44 feet and rising slowly on Oct. 26, above the (-)11.85-foot record low set on Oct. 16. The river gauge at Vicksburg, Miss., reported at (-)0.18 feet at midweek, was predicted to cross above the 0.00-foot mark on Oct. 30.
As a result of the slightly improved conditions, restrictions on southbound loading drafts softened to 20-25% on travel between the Gulf and Cairo, Ill., down from 25-30% reported previously, while restrictions on northbound loading weights continued in the 25-30% range.
Tows were capped at five-barge widths between Cairo and Mile 303 of the lower river, equating to a 5-15 barge reduction from typical towing lengths, depending on vessel horsepower. The smaller barge counts, combined with reduced loading weights, were expected to stretch delivery times by 48-72 hours.
Dredging and delays were reported on the lower river at Miles 703, 437, and in the Baton Rouge, La., area. Dredging at Mile 293 did not impact navigation during the week, sources said.
Forecasts showed the largest potential for improvement in the St. Louis area, where depths of (-)0.55 feet recorded on Oct. 26 were projected to rise to 6.8 feet on Nov. 8. Loading drafts continued to see 30-35% reductions through the St. Louis harbor, while maximum four-barge towing widths and a 5-10% reduction in loading drafts persisted on travel between St. Louis and Cairo. Dredging was reported at Miles 481, 221, 158-159, and 38.
Upper-river locks are scheduled to close for the winter navigation season between Dec. 5 and March 11, 2024.
Illinois River:
Maximum loading drafts were reported at 9.0 feet on the Illinois River, while towing lengths were limited to 15 barges during the week. Wickets were reported in the raised position at Peoria Lock and LaGrange Lock, forcing tows to lock through both locations. Dredging previously reported at Miles 226-228 concluded on Oct. 25, sources said.
Ohio River:
Southbound loading drafts were cut by 10-15% on the Ohio River due to low water levels. Drafts were previously reported at 9-10.5 feet, depending on location. Draft limits continued at a maximum 8.5 feet on the Monongahela River.
Dredging underway at Miles 967-975 was scheduled to wrap up on Oct. 31. The project has required one-way travel through the area, restricting northbound tows to overnight transits, while southbound movements passed during daylight hours.
The primary chamber at John T. Myers Lock is shut for repairs and maintenance through Nov. 6, prompting detours through the secondary chamber. Delays stretched into the 2-5 day range, according to Corps data, above 51-84 hours at last report.
The main chamber at Montgomery Lock is shut through Nov. 22. Following the current closure, the site’s auxiliary chamber will shut on Nov. 22-26. The main chamber will close once more on Nov. 26-Dec. 22.
Arkansas River:
Montgomery Point Lock has been shut to navigation since Oct. 16 due to low water levels, effectively closing the Arkansas River. Dredging to reopen the site began on Oct. 21, sources said, and was expected to wrap up on Oct. 27-28.