U.S. Gulf: Flooding continued to hamper navigation in the U.S. Gulf, shippers said, triggering high-water operating conditions and unplanned lock closures.
Bayou Sorrel Lock remained closed to transit on Aug. 24, with the lock “diverting water due to high landside levels,” the Corps said. Port Allen Lock’s official status remained closed due to ongoing flood control measures, although shippers reported limited locking availability as of Aug. 24. Vessels were routed through Algiers Lock instead, where waits were recorded in the 11-12 hour range.
Industrial Lock is closed through approximately Nov. 29 for substantial maintenance and repair operations. The Corps is working to prepare a detour through Baptiste Collette Bayou channel and Chandeleur Sound capable of servicing high-volume traffic.
Dredging at Baptiste Collette has reduced channel width to 75 feet, sources said, and tows were required to contact the dredge to confirm compliance prior to passing. Originally expected to conclude in mid-August, the work’s ETA has been pushed back to September.
Dredge work continued at the West Canal’s Galveston Causeway Railroad Bridge, closing the site from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily. The project is scheduled to proceed on a 12-days on, two-days off arrangement, lasting through January 2017. Navigation will return to normal on nonworking days and overnight hours.
Shippers reported Brazos River Floodgate delays stemming from fast river flows, with waits of 5-7 hours reported. Pipeline dredging and repairs, blamed for limiting navigation to daylight hours only, was scheduled to conclude on Aug. 17, although some sources believed the project was still underway as of Aug. 23.
Brazos Lock remained subject to normal river rise restrictions, the Corps said, with locking capped at one loaded or two empty barges per pass. Fast currents triggered Colorado Lock restrictions as well, reducing locking to a single loaded barge or two empties per turn.
Lower Mississippi River: Delays are expected in the Lake Providence area Sept. 15 through late December due to Stack Island dike work, sources said.
Upper Mississippi River: Shippers reported wait times in the 3-4 hour range at Lock 20, Lock 25, and Mel Price Lock.
Heavy rains pushed the Wabasha gauge above action stage, triggering towing restrictions in the area. The National Weather Service (NWS) called levels 10.35 feet on Aug. 25, with a 10.4-foot crest predicted on Aug. 25-26. Forecasters called for the gauge to sink below action stage on Aug. 28-29.
Illinois River: Delays were noted in the Lockport and Marseilles areas due to fast river flows. The conditions prompted closures at Lockport Lock and Brandon Road Lock on Aug. 24. The Corps noted limited locking availability at Marseilles Lock, with waits estimated as high as seven hours on Aug. 25.
A fish barrier closure is scheduled to block daytime transit in the Lemont area on Aug. 22-26. The closure will affect Miles 296-297.
Ohio River: Work at Emsworth Lock, underway since July 5, concluded on Aug. 18. Shippers quoted waits up to 30 hours in recent weeks.
The Greenup Lock main chamber closure continued to snag navigation, pushing lock delays in excess of 10 hours for the week. The project was officially slated to run through Sept. 30, although some sources were optimistic that work might conclude sooner, possibly as early as Aug. 26. Vessels relied solely on the site’s auxiliary chamber for passage, and the Corps warned that assist boats could be required, depending on river levels.
The Corps lowered dams at Locks 52 and 53 for the week, allowing boats to pass without locking. The Lock 52 main chamber is scheduled to undergo cell-banding maintenance on Sept. 5-17, and again from Sept. 19 to Oct. 1, leaving the auxiliary chamber as the sole navigation channel.
A Montgomery Lock main chamber closure on the books for Aug. 29 through Nov. 17 is projected to cause “major” delays, shipping operators said. Transit will be limited to the auxiliary unit during daylight hours, although the main chamber will reopen for eight hours nightly subject to an 80-foot width restriction. The main chamber will also open on Sept. 3-4, Sept. 17-18, Oct. 1-2, Oct. 15-16, and Oct. 29-30.
R.C. Byrd Lock maintenance will close the auxiliary chamber Oct. 3 through Dec. 9.
The Tennessee River’s Wilson Lock exited a four-day turbidity curtain installation on Aug. 19, but was set to close again Aug. 29 through Sept. 2 to complete the job. Kentucky Lock will face guidewall repairs on Oct. 4-19. Vessels are encouraged to use Barkley Canal as an alternate route.
The Monongahela River’s Braddock Lock and Dam river chamber remained offline due to equipment failure. Vessels were routed through the site’s land chamber instead.
Arkansas River: Repairs closed Webbers Falls Lock to navigation on Aug. 22, blocking access to Inola and Catoosa. The lock is expected to reopen on Sept. 11. David D. Terry Lock is slated for a full shutdown Aug. 29 through Sept. 4, leaving shippers without access to Little Rock during the closure.