U.S. Gulf:

Ongoing high water levels at Baton Rouge, La., were noted restricting towing capacity above New Orleans. Softening forecasts at the river gauge at New Orleans suggest easing restrictions in the NOLA area, however. NOLA levels were no longer expected to move above the 12-foot mark, with forecasts calling for an 11.7-foot crest on May 21-24.

Calcasieu Lock daytime travel restrictions, previously expected to conclude in mid-May, were heard to extend through late August, blocking Monday-through-Thursday navigation between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. The project kicked off on March 22.

Repairs underway at the Bayou Sorrel Bridge were expected to conclude in late May. Travel through the site was reportedly unavailable Monday through Friday, between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., and again from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Normal navigation hours were available on Saturday and Sunday.

Weekday delays also persisted at Bayou Sorrel Lock during the week due to an ongoing guidewall replacement project, which is expected to continue into February 2023. Wait times were reported up to 25 hours during the week, unmoved from one week earlier.

Monday-Friday delays were reported at the Brazos Locks system. Navigation is reportedly unavailable between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. through June 30.

Vessel navigation at Bayou Chene was blocked during overnight hours due to continued floodgate construction, a Coast Guard posting indicated. The waterway was shut to travel nightly between 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., while daytime navigation remained possible up to a maximum 600 feet of length. Widths were possible up to 54 feet. Delays were anticipated at 6-12 hours.

Shoaling impacted traffic at Miles 113-116 of the Atchafalaya River for another week, according to a Coast Guard posting, as 10-foot draft limits remained in place through the Morgan City, La., area. Barge strings were also capped at a maximum 600 feet of length, while tows longer than 400 feet were encouraged to travel with industry assistance. Width limits were observed at 70 feet. Tows could bypass the restrictions entirely by running through the Port Allen Route, the Coast Guard advised.

Unassisted tows were met with ongoing length and width restrictions at Algiers Lock, essentially limiting lockages to four standard barges or two 30,000 mt tankers per pass. Larger individual lockages were available when accompanied by an assist vessel. Delays for the week were reported in the 24-36 hour range, Corps data indicated.

Intermittent travel restrictions due to Belle Chasse Bridge construction were projected to run up to 12 hours at a time. The project is scheduled to continue through the end of the year.

Delays at Port Allen Lock were reported in the 5-15 hour range for the week, falling from up to 27 hours noted previously. While most Industrial Lock waits were counted up to 25 hours, additional intermittent waits were noted in the 35-50 hour range on May 14-16.

Mississippi River:

Operations to salvage a barge that sank near Mile 49 on the upper Mississippi River were projected to impact navigation through the area, possibly through the end of May. Reduced barge counts were in effect, while some larger tows were allowed to pass the location solely during daytime hours.

Improving river levels between St. Louis and the Cairo, Ill., interchange allowed for easing transit restrictions on overnight travel through the St. Louis area, although daylight-only travel limitations remained in force through a number of nearby areas during the week. The river gauge at Cairo was noted at an action-stage 35.32 feet and falling on May 18. Levels were expected to fall out of action stage on May 19.

Restrictions remained in place farther downriver, however, where rising waters were reported at both Vicksburg, Miss., and Baton Rouge. Vicksburg levels registered at an action-stage 39.55 feet and rising on May 18, while a 40.1-foot crest was projected for May 19-20. Baton Rouge’s action-stage 32.02-foot reading on May 18 was expected to peak at 32.4 feet on May 20-23. Both gauges were anticipated to remain at action stage into late May.

Channel reinforcement efforts that kicked off on May 10 at the lower river’s Mile 807 were scheduled to run through approximately June 10. The project was noted blocking southbound navigation at the location daily between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Delays were observed in the 3-6 hour range at Lock 14 during the week.

Illinois River:

High-water conditions were improving on the lower Illinois Waterway, easing travel restrictions and slowdowns described in the previous report. The river gauge at LaGrange Lock was reported falling below the 21.0-foot action stage on May 16, showing a 20.43-foot reading on May 18. A May 18 flood warning was in effect for the Havana and Beardstown areas.

A repair and maintenance project that began on May 9 at Brandon Road Lock will impact navigation through Sept. 8, a Corps posting indicated. Navigation is restricted to overnight hours and subject to maximum 70-foot widths until Aug. 14. The site will completely shut to traffic from Aug. 15 through Sept. 4, followed by a return to overnight-only passage on Sept. 5-8. Normal operation is scheduled to resume on Sept. 9. Delays were reported up to 14 hours during the week.

Wickets were reported on the lowered position at both Peoria Lock and LaGrange Lock, allowing tows to pass both sites through their nonlocking navigational passes.

Ohio River:

Heavy weekend precipitation swelled levels on the upper Ohio River, slowing movements and stretching pickup and delivery windows. Conditions were described as improved on the upper river, although the swell’s downriver push was heard to affect daytime-only movements through some mid-river locations.

The Belleville Lock primary chamber is shut to navigation from May 1 through June 29 for planned repairs and maintenance, prompting detours through the secondary chamber. Most delays were noted in the 2-4 day range, unchanged from the prior report.

Greenup Lock repairs were expected to follow a similar schedule to Belleville Lock, with the site’s main chamber going offline from May 1 through June 29, requiring tows to be routed through the auxiliary chamber. Wait times were noted up to 14 hours, Corps data indicated.

Navigation continued to be unavailable at Cannelton Lock during daylight hours on Wednesdays and Thursdays due to ongoing repairs and maintenance. The project began in late January and is slated to continue through May 26. Additional planned maintenance proposed for July 5 through Nov. 11 would similarly limit main chamber availability.

A proposed main chamber maintenance project at Hannibal Lock would run from July 5 through Oct. 8, limiting navigation to the use of the secondary chamber.

Travel through the Tennessee River’s Kentucky Lock was delayed up to a reported 19 hours during the week, rising from a maximum 15 hours in the prior report. Wilson Lock continued to show lengthy delays, with navigation posted in a wide 8-30 hour range.

Repairs to miter gate machinery at the Cumberland River’s Cheatham Lock kicked off on May 16. The project, slated to continue through Aug. 5, will see the lock shut for 11 days, followed by a three-day period of unrestricted access. The 14-day pattern will be repeated through the project’s conclusion.

Arkansas River:

Spiking water levels on the Arkansas River slowed travel on the waterway, while complete travel shutdowns were reported in some areas. The conditions were expected to persist through a possible 1-3 week period, depending on additional rainfall totals.

A Norrell Lock maintenance project is scheduled to close the site to navigation daily between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. through a series of 10-day shutdowns continuing into January 2023. The blackout dates were tentatively scheduled for June 1-11; June 22-July 21; Aug. 1-10; Aug. 21-Sept. 21; Sept. 3-Oct. 9; Oct. 20-Nov. 18; Nov. 29-Dec. 23; and Jan. 3-31, 2023.