U.S. Gulf: Shippers continued to report high-water conditions in the Gulf shipping region. Barge restrictions remained in place on April 20, but were expected to be lifted “by the end of the week.”
Baton Rouge levels slipped below the 30-foot action stage, reading 29.92 feet on April 20, but forecasts called for the gauge to return to action-stage levels on April 24-25. The Natchez gauge read 41.71 feet on April 20 and was expected to rise to 42.7 feet by April 25, above the 38-foot minimum action stage.
Wait times at Algiers Lock were in the 9-10 hour range for the week, with an average six boats queued. Shippers expect Algiers to see greater-than-usual delays through April 30 due to a closure at Harvey Lock, causing the Corps to route vessels through Algiers instead.
Bayou Sorrel Lock delays were quoted in the 7-13 hour range, with an average seven vessels in line to lock. Port Allen Lock waits were noted at eight hours on April 20, and Industrial Lock transit required 24 hours last week, with 28 vessels queued for service. Dive operations closed Industrial Lock during daylight hours on April 18.
Rising levels and fast currents at the Colorado River Locks triggered lock restrictions starting on April 19. Tows were limited to a single loaded barge or two empty barges until the current drops below 2 mph, shippers said. Currents were reported at 4.06 mph on April 20.
Lower Mississippi River: Elevated river levels kept tow restrictions in place last week from Cairo to the Gulf. Southbound traffic was allowed 25 percent fewer barges than usual. Shippers expected the limitations to be lifted around April 23.
The National Weather Service reported Vicksburg levels at 32.31 feet and rising on April 21, below the local action stage of 35.0 feet. A flood warning enacted on April 20 for the Vicksburg area was set to expire April 25.
The Memphis gauge read 15.64 feet and falling on April 21, higher than the previous week’s 12.81-foot reading.
Upper Mississippi River: Shippers reported normal operating conditions along the Upper Mississippi for the week. Sources said Lock 27 delays were averaging 3-4 hours, with Lock 20 passage adding an additional 1-2 hours. Delays at Mel Price Lock was also reported in the 1-2 hour range.
Illinois River: Lockport Lock delays were called 1-2 hours for the week, and wait times at Brandon Road Lock were reported at slightly over an hour. Marseilles Lock navigation required 1-2 hours, and average Starved Rock Lock waits were reported at about 90 minutes.
Dresden Island Lock is scheduled to go offline during daylight hours on April 26, effecting a river closure. Wickets at the Peoria and LaGrange Locks were down last week, allowing tows to transit without locking.
Ohio River: New Cumberland Lock navigation was noted at about an hour for the week, and shippers put Belleville Lock delays in the 1-2 hour range. Racine Lock transits averaged 65 minutes, and transits through Greenup Lock fell in the 1-2 hour range.
Locks 52 and 53 did not operate last week, allowing vessels to transit without locking. Source called wait times 1-2 hours per transit.
The Ohio River gauge at Cincinnati read 28.35 feet on April 20, with forecasts calling for depths to level off around 27 feet by April 25. Cairo levels were 29.02 feet and falling on April 20, up from 28.0 feet one week earlier.
The New Cumberland Lock auxiliary chamber will be closed through May 27. The Corps is scheduled to reopen the chamber April 30 through May 1, and again on May 15-16, to clear waiting vessels.
Navigation through the Louisville area will be unavailable on April 22-23, with miles 602-606 shut down due to Thunder Over Louisville events.
The main chamber at Montgomery Lock is set to close May 16 through June 10, likely causing significant delays, shippers said. The Corps will reopen the chamber on the weekends of May 28-29 and June 4-5 to pass queued traffic.
The Corps closed the Greenup Lock main chamber on April 15 for an extended shutdown. Shippers expect major delays at the site until the projected Sept. 30 reopening date. The auxiliary chamber is slated to remain open throughout the closure.
Emsworth Lock is scheduled to undergo a main chamber shutdown July 5 through Aug. 10. The site’s auxiliary unit will be unavailable during the shutdown. The Corps announced plans to pass waiting vessels on July 16-17 and July 30 31.
“Routine” maintenance at the Tennessee River’s Chickamauga Lock prompted the Corps to warn of intermittent 10-11 hour closures through May 12. The river will close for approximately 24 hours on May 16 due to Eggners Ferry Bridge demolition.
On the Monongahela River, the Braddock Lock and Dam river chamber is closed indefinitely due to equipment failure. Dive operations sparked intermittent closures at the Cumberland River’s Cheatham Lock from April 18-21.
Arkansas River: Webbers Falls Lock maintenance will block upstream access on May 16-22, shippers said. A downstream closure is scheduled to run Aug. 24 through Sept. 11.