U.S. Gulf:
Bayou Boeuf Lock travel continued to be restricted
during the week, a Coast Guard posting indicated. Navigation was limited to
overnight hours only on Monday through Friday, leaving the lock closed daily
between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Full 24-hour access was available on Saturday
and Sunday.
Travel through Bayou Chene was unavailable during
overnight hours due to floodgate construction. Transit was off limits nightly
between 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Tows locking during daytime hours were capped
at 600 feet of length, while loads measuring wider than 54 feet were required
to use an assist vessel. Wait times were noted in the 6-12 hour range.
Shoaling continued to restrict movements through
Miles 113-116 on the Atchafalaya River, located in the Morgan City area. A
Coast Guard posting showed drafts limited to 10 feet, while total lengths were
capped at 600 feet. Tows measuring above 400 feet were strongly advised to travel
with an assist vessel, and widths were reduced to a maximum 70 feet. Vessels
were advised to detour through the designated alternate Port Allen Route.
Restrictions on Algiers Lock tows limited unassisted
lockages to four standard barges or two 30,000 mt tankers per turn. Larger tows
were reportedly cleared to lock only when accompanied by an assist vessel.
Belle Chasse Bridge construction, projected to
continue through late 2022, was expected to trigger intermittent delays of up
to 12 hours at a time. The structure is located at Mile 3 in the West Canal.
Port Allen Lock delays were reported up to 13 hours
for the week. Travel times were noted up to six hours through Industrial Lock.
Mississippi River:
Emergency channel restoration at the lower Mississippi
River’s Mile 595 was expected to trigger a multiday navigational shutdown
starting on Dec. 2.
Previously set to begin on Dec. 1, transit through
the area was projected to be completely unavailable through at least Dec. 6,
and possibly as late as Dec. 8. Following that initial transportation blackout,
the Corps was likely to open the area to clear waiting vessels every 2-3 days
for the duration of the project, tentatively slated through Dec. 21.
An operation to salvage a partially sunken barge at
Mile 538 during the week was predicted to trigger intermittent daytime travel
shutdowns at Miles 536-540. In addition, traffic was reportedly limited to
staggered one-way operation while the operation is underway.
Low water levels reportedly limited maximum drafts
in the St. Louis area during the week. Channel work at Miles 343-346, which
previously restricting daylight southbound traffic to 20-25 barges, was
expected to conclude on Dec. 1.
Passage was unavailable through the bridge at Mile
309.9 on the upper river between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., and again between
12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., on Nov. 29-Dec. 2 and Dec. 6-9.
Seasonal upper river lock closures commenced on Nov.
28 with Locks 5A, 8, and 10. Lock 4, Lock 5, and Lock 7 were scheduled to
officially shut no later than Dec. 6, followed by Locks 15 and 24 on Jan. 1.
Locks 1-13 were noted locking zero vessels for the week through Dec. 1.
Lock 24 was scheduled to return to service on Jan.
31, ahead of Lock 15 on March 3. Locks 5 and 7 are on the books to come online
on March 11, followed by Locks 5A, 8, and 10 on March 17. Lock 4 was set to
resume lockages on March 21, conditions permitting.
Lock 27 delays were reported up to seven hours
during the week.
Illinois River:
A planned Brandon Road Lock repair and maintenance
project, set to run from May 9 through Sept. 8, will prompt daytime shutdowns
and 70-foot width restrictions between May 9 and Aug. 14.
Navigation at the site will be entirely unavailable
from Aug. 15 through Sept. 4, followed by a return to overnight-only movements
on Sept. 5-8. Traffic is slated to return to normal on Sept. 9.
Marseilles Lock waits were noted up to seven hours
for the week. Tows passing Starved Rock Lock saw intermittent 5-7 hour delays.
Wickets were noted in the raised position at Peoria Lock and LaGrange Lock,
necessitating tows to lock through both locations. Delays were typically
reported under five hours.
Ohio River:
The Corps has proposed a Cannelton Lock main chamber
shutdown for maintenance and repairs in 2022. The suggested timeline would run
from July 5 through Nov. 11, forcing traffic through the site’s smaller
secondary chamber.
A closure of the Montgomery Lock primary chamber,
initiated on Oct. 29, has been extended through Dec. 22. Vessels are in line to
pass the site via the auxiliary chamber through the project’s duration. Delays
were quoted in a wide 2-10 day range for the week.
Hannibal Lock repairs were noted in progress through
Dec. 10, prompting detours through the 600-foot auxiliary chamber. The Corps
has proposed an additional round of maintenance between July 5 and Oct. 8.
The
Dashields Lock secondary chamber remained out of order for the week due to an underwater
obstruction that inhibited miter gate operation. Transit was available through
the main chamber, with few delays reported.
The Tennessee River’s Kentucky Lock is closed to
navigation through Dec. 10 for planned miter gate repairs. The project began on
Nov. 1, and locking resumed on Nov. 25-28 to clear waiting vessels. Tows were
advised to detour through Barkley Lock and the Barkley Canal while work is
underway, adding 1-2 days of travel time in each direction.
The Wilson Lock primary chamber is expected to close
from Feb. 23 through April 28, forcing tows to lock one barge at a time through
the secondary chamber. The main chamber is currently slated for a single relief
opening on April 1-3, although additional openings could be added. Intermittent
delays at Wilson Lock were reported in a wide 5-23 hour range for the week.
A proposed maintenance closure at the Cumberland
River’s Cheatham Lock would limit traffic through the site from May 16 through
Aug. 4.
The
Allegheny River’s Lock 6 was closed to navigation until further notice due to
reported miter gate damage.
