U.S. Gulf and Atlantic:
Seasonal fog delays slowed overnight movements in the New Orleans area during the week. The conditions were projected to remain for about a week.
A Coast Guard posting described ongoing travel restrictions at Bayou Boeuf Lock, where weekday movements were limited to 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Vessels were permitted to access the lock on a 24-hour schedule on Saturday and Sunday, however.
With the West Canal fully reopened in the prior week after a lengthy hurricane-induced shutdown, movements returned to normal through the Port Allen Lock. Wait times were generally noted up to eight hours, falling from week-ago delays up to 23 hours.
Ongoing floodgate construction limited movements through Bayou Chene to daytime hours only. Navigation was available daily between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., with tow lengths limited to 600 feet. Tows with widths greater than 54 feet were required to use an assist tug on all movements through the waterway. Delays were noted in the 6-12 hour range.
Atchafalaya River travel remained restricted through the Morgan City area, Coast Guard documents indicated, due to continued shoaling at Miles 113-116. Maximum drafts through the affected area were noted at 10 feet, while tow sizes were capped at 600 feet long and 70 feet wide. Lengths greater than 400 feet were strongly advised to travel with an assist boat. Vessels were advised to bypass the restrictions entirely by detouring through the Port Allen Route.
Algiers Lock movements were saddled with ongoing size restrictions, effectively limiting unassisted tows to four standard barges or two 30,000 mt tankers per pass, although larger tows were possible when accompanied by an assist boat.
Belle Chasse Bridge construction efforts were predicted to trigger intermittent delays up to 12 hours. The project is slated to run through late 2022.
Industrial Lock waits were reported up to nine hours for the week. Brazos Lock delays were noted as high as eight hours.
The National Hurricane Center reported a tropical disturbance located to the northwest of the Azores, in the Central Atlantic, on Nov. 11. The system was not expected to strengthen into a tropical cyclone prior to Nov. 13.
Mississippi River:
Intermittent delays were reported on overnight lower Mississippi River travel due to seasonal fog. The conditions were expected to persist into early next week.
Rock-laying operations at Victoria bend were expected to drive sporadic daylight-hour navigation stoppages daily between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. during the first half of December.
Upper river locks were scheduled to begin closing to winter navigation on Nov. 28, starting with Lock 5A, Lock 8, and Lock 10. Locks 4, 5, and 7 are due to shut on Dec. 6, while Lock 15 is scheduled to close on Jan. 1. Lock 24 will also shut for one month of maintenance on Jan. 1.
Lock 24 will reopen on Jan. 31, followed by Lock 15 on an estimated March 3. Locks 5 and 7 were projected to return to navigation on March 11, with Locks 5A, 8, and 10 tentatively set to come online six days later on March 17. Lock 4 will open its doors on March 21, conditions permitting.
Lock 22 delays were quoted up to 10 hours for the week.
Illinois River:
Travel conditions improved on the Illinois River during the week. Elevated water levels had previously blocked navigation on large swaths of the waterway, with barge counts reduced by around 20 percent.
Wickets were in the lowered position at both LaGrange Lock and Peoria Lock, allowing vessels to pass both sites without locking.
Ohio River:
The Cannelton Lock main chamber is reportedly closed for repairs through Nov. 19, forcing boats to pass the site through the secondary chamber. The Cannelton secondary chamber is undergoing maintenance of its own on Nov. 1-19, setting up the potential for intermittent full-lock shutdowns. The main chamber project has been in progress since June 21.
Montgomery Lock’s primary chamber is shut through Dec. 22 for planned repairs and maintenance. The work, originally set to run from Oct. 18 through Dec. 17, will see tows limited to multiple passes through the smaller secondary chamber. Waits were noted up to 41 hours for the week, falling from 45 hours reported previously.
A Hannibal Lock primary chamber shutdown, previously set to conclude on Oct. 29, was extended through an estimated Dec. 10. Minimal delays were recorded for the week.
The Dashields Lock auxiliary chamber continued to see limited operation due to an underwater obstruction. Despite the complication, delays were generally noted holding below the five-hour mark.
The Tennessee River’s Kentucky Lock reportedly closed to navigation on Nov. 1-24 for miter gate repairs, and will be followed by a second closure from Nov. 29 through Dec. 10. A temporary opening is slated for Nov. 25-28 to clear waiting tows. Traffic was suggested to detour through the Barkley Canal while work is underway.
Wilson Lock repairs, estimated to wrap up on Nov. 11, necessitated staggered one-way travel through the early week. The Corps allowed southbound travel during daylight hours, while vessels moving upriver were permitted passage overnight. Delays were posted up to 19 hours.
The Allegheny River’s Lock 6 remained closed to navigation indefinitely due to a damaged miter gate.
Arkansas River:
Webbers Falls Lock, located between Miles 366 and 367, was reportedly closed to navigation on Nov. 10-11 for planned repairs and maintenance. Delays were expected. Navigation through Mile 126 was unavailable from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Nov. 8-9 due to bridge repairs.