US Gulf:
Low water levels on the Lower Mississippi River triggered ongoing towing restrictions. Loading drafts for northbound tows were cut by 10-15% above New Orleans, La., while tow lengths were reduced by 5-10 barges, depending on vessel horsepower. The restrictions combined to delay average travel times by an estimated 24-72 hours, sources said.
Guidewall repairs at Bayou Sorrel Lock are scheduled through Oct. 30, blocking weekday travel from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wait times were noted up to 12.5 hours at midweek, down from 31 hours at last report.
Repair work at Brazos Lock restricted Monday-Friday movements from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tows were delayed up to 5.5 hours, according to Corps data. The project is slated to run through October.
Harvey Lock has been mostly shut since Aug. 19 due to reverse head conditions, sources said. No tows have locked through the site since Aug. 27, according to Corps data.
Intermittent 5-17 hour delays were noted at Port Allen Lock during the week, while a handful of 5-9 hour waits were reported at Industrial Lock. Wait times ran up to 15 hours at Algiers Lock, and sporadic 7-22 hour delays were observed at Colorado Lock.
Mississippi River:
Towing restrictions continued during the week due to low water levels below Cairo, Ill. Northbound tows saw loading drafts reduced by 10-15%, while southbound loading drafts were slashed by 15-20% between Cairo and Rosedale, Miss. Tows moving downriver faced draft reductions of 10-15% from Rosedale to New Orleans. Tow lengths were reduced by 5-10 barges, depending on vessel horsepower, contributing to delay estimates in the 24-72 hour range, sources said.
The river gauge at Vicksburg, Miss., was posted at 5.8 feet and falling on Sept. 4. Forecasts predicted a fall below the 5.0-foot low stage on Sept. 11. The St. Louis gauge, noted at 3.5 feet at midweek, was expected to recede to 1.6 feet by Sept. 18, and the gauge at Memphis, Tenn., was reported at a low-stage (-)6.2 feet and falling on Sept. 4.
Rock placement underway at Mile 759 will limit southbound travel from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily through approximately Sept. 18. Pipeline removal at Mile 158 projected to run through Sept. 24 is unlikely to majorly impact navigation, though intermittent slowdowns were anticipated.
Revetment projects at Miles 775 and 908 blocked southbound travel during the daytime on Sept. 1-5. Intermittent 4-6 hour waits were noted at Lock 27 during the week. Excessive rainfall triggered a flood watch at New Orleans and Baton Rouge, La., on Sept. 4.
With the upper Mississippi due to close December through March 2025 for the winter navigation season, most tows loading from NOLA will begin final releases in October, sources said. Many tows headed between Dubuque, Iowa, and St. Paul, Minn., will release from NOLA during the first week of October, while barges destined for ports between St. Louis and Clinton, Iowa., will continue departures through the third week of October.
Illinois River:
Maximum loading drafts were reported at 9.5 feet for Miles 1-231 and 9.0 feet above Mile 231. Lockport Lock is scheduled to close from Jan. 14 to March 11, 2025, for vertical lift gate installation, blocking travel to and from the Chicago, Ill., area. The lock is located at Mile 291.
Ohio River:
Loading drafts remained limited on the Ohio River, sources said. Drafts were restricted to 10-10.5 feet, depending on location and direction of travel, down 5-10% from normal levels. Tow lengths were permitted up to 15 barges for the full length of the river.
The main chamber at Markland Lock will shut for 19 hours daily between Sept. 8 and Oct. 6, forcing detours through the secondary chamber. McAlpine Lock is closed to southbound lockages between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. through Nov. 30, with intermittent waits noted up to 10 hours.
The Hannibal Lock primary chamber is offline through Nov. 8 for miter gate repairs, sources said, triggering delays up to 15 hours, rising from eight hours at last report. Belleville Lock will undergo a round of 30-day main and auxiliary chamber closures before the end of the year.
Delays were reported in the 5-20 hour range at Kentucky Lock, on the Tennessee River. Tows waited up to 32 hours to pass Wilson Lock.
Arkansas River:
The Van Buren Bridge at Mile 300.8 of the Arkansas River is closed for repairs through Sept. 8. Tows were reportedly able to pass during lift tests after the ninth day of work, and shuttle barges are free to transit the area whenever the channel is free of equipment.
Webbers Falls Lock is closed through Sept. 8 for miter gate inspections.