U.S. Gulf and Atlantic:
Travel through the West Canal remained unavailable at Miles 21-33 due to shoaling and debris caused by Hurricane Ida. Most through-traffic was bypassing the West Canal entirely, running from the New Orleans area to Houston by way of the Port Allen Route. Work to reestablish navigation was projected to run through the end of the month, adding 1-2 days of travel time in each direction.
Bayou Lafourche was shut between Lockport and the West Canal due to multiple vessels blocking the channel, as well as ongoing hurricane-related cleanup efforts.
Floodgate construction activities left navigation through Bayou Chene unavailable nightly between 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. until further notice. In addition, tows were limited to 600-foot lengths, while barge configurations measuring above 54 feet wide were required to utilize an assist vessel on all movements through the waterway. Sporadic shutdowns of the entire waterway were also possible, with resulting wait times predicted in the 6-12 hour range.
Ten-foot draft limits remained in effect at Miles 113-116 in the Atchafalaya River in the Morgan City area, due both to extensive shoaling and reduced channel widths. Size restrictions were also in place, with tows limited to 600-foot lengths and 70-foot widths, while strings measuring longer than 400 feet were requested to use an assist boat.
The Coast Guard “highly recommended” that vessels bypass the area via the designated Port Allen Route alternative. With 39 tows counted in line to lock on Oct. 19, delays were quoted in a wide 50-75 hour range, or approximately 2-4 days.
Unassisted movements continued to face size restrictions through Algiers Lock, with tows generally capped at four standard barges or two 30,000 mt tankers. Larger tows remained possible when accompanied by an assist tug, however.
Warnings of intermittent navigational shutdowns were heard through the Belle Chasse Bridge, located at the West Canal’s Mile 3, due to construction slated to run through late 2022. Delays were anticipated up to 12 hours.
Bayou Boeuf Lock was reported open for navigation between 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on Monday through Friday. Locking returned to 24-hour availability on Saturdays and Sundays.
Intermittent Industrial Lock delays were noted in a wide 5-27 hour range for the week, while Colorado Lock wait times were quoted up to 19 hours through the site’s eastern lock, and up to 29 hours through its western lock.
Mississippi River:
Rock-laying operations that kicked off on Oct. 20 at the lower Mississippi River’s Mile 671 were likely to close the area to southbound navigation from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily. The project was scheduled to run for about a week.
The Dredge Hurley was working at Mile 293 again during the week, but the operation caused no navigational issues.
Early seasonal shutdown dates for locks located on the upper Mississippi translated to quickly closing release window on barges loading from NOLA. Barges with final destinations located on the lower portion of the upper river were typically noted to carry final release dates in the last week of October. Material departing for terminals located at Iowa or above was generally believed to carry a first-half October cutoff.
Locks 5A, 8, and 10 were slated to close to winter navigation on Nov. 28, followed by Lock 4, 5, and 7 on Dec. 6. Lock 15 was expected to shut on Jan. 1 following an auxiliary chamber closure running through Dec. 1. Lock 24 will halt seasonal movements on Jan. 1-31.
Locks 5 and 7 are tentatively due to reopen on March 11, followed by Locks 5A, 8, and 10 on March 17. Lock 15 will return to service on March 3, while Lock 4 will resume passing tows on March 21.
Lock 27 delays were noted up to 12 hours for the week.
Illinois River:
Low water levels on the Illinois Waterway left wickets in the raised position for another week at Peoria Lock and LaGrange Lock.
Dresden Island Lock delays stretched to six hours or more during the week. Boats passing Marseilles Lock were subject to wait times up to 4-6 hours, while intermittent 5-8 hour waits were noted through Starved Rock Lock.
Ohio River:
Main chamber maintenance underway at Cannelton Lock was scheduled to necessitate detours through the auxiliary chamber until Nov. 19. A planned auxiliary chamber shutdown on Nov. 1-19 could precipitate intermittent full-lock shutdowns.
The Montgomery Lock primary chamber was expected to shut to navigation on Oct. 18, with work running through Dec. 17. Delays were generally expected to snowball as the project runs on.
The main chamber at Hannibal Lock was scheduled to return to normal operation on Oct. 29, ending a period of secondary lock-only navigation. Waits were reported up to six hours on Oct. 20.
Operation of the Dashields Lock auxiliary lock chamber continued to be hindered by an underwater obstruction blocking the chamber’s lower miter gate. No timeline was available on Oct. 20 for a return to normal use.
The Willow Island Lock main chamber is shut for the entire month of October, with delays expected. Navigation was available through the secondary chamber, with minimal delays reported.
The Markland Lock secondary chamber, which has been shut since first-half 2020 due to structural cracks in the miter gate, was tentatively projected to reopen in late October. Ongoing maintenance at Olmsted Lock was noted pushing delays to as high as 15 hours for the week.
On the Tennessee River, main chamber repairs underway since Oct. 12 were projected to conclude on Oct. 23, with tows passing through the secondary chamber during the interim. Most delays were reported under six hours, while intermittent waits spiked to nearly 20 hours on Oct. 19-20.
Wilson Lock was passing vessels one way at a time during the week, with southbound tows locking during daytime hours only. Northbound vessels were allowed to pass overnight. Delays through the site were generally quoted up to 15 hours for the week.
The Corps announced a planned Kentucky Lock closure from Nov. 1 through Dec. 10. A single four-day reopening window, tentatively scheduled for Nov. 25-28, will pass waiting traffic. Boats passing Kentucky Lock reported waits in the 4-11 hour range for the week.
The Monongahela River’s Lock 2 main chamber returned from repairs and maintenance on Oct. 15, ending a period of secondary chamber-only navigation that started on Sept. 13.
Lock 6 on the Allegheny River, will remain closed to navigation indefinitely due to a damaged miter gate.
Arkansas River:
Intermittent daytime navigation shutdowns were reported at Joe Hardin Lock on Oct. 19-21. Emmett Sanders Lock was scheduled to undergo sporadic shutdowns between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on Oct. 26-28.