U.S. Gulf: Minor flooding persisted in a number of river tributaries in southern Louisiana last week, but conditions in the Gulf were improving, shipping operators said.
Port Allen Lock reopened to transit after a weeks-long closure stemming from recent Louisiana floods, despite being listed by the Corps as “Closure Imminent” on Sept. 7. The Charenton, East Calumet, and West Calumet Floodgates remained unavailable due to high water, however. Algiers Lock navigation delays were quoted in the 3-4 hour range.
Dredge work continued in the Baptiste Collette Bayou channel, necessitating a 75-foot width restriction in the channel. Vessels traversing Baptiste Collette were requested to contact the dredge prior to passing to confirm compliance. Doublewide tows were expected to experience delays.
The Corps is utilizing Baptiste Collette and Chandeleur Sound as a primary detour route during the Industrial Lock closure, slated to continue through Nov. 29. Shippers had previously predicted dredging would conclude and move to a new site by Labor Day.
A fire closed the Houston Ship Channel early on Sept. 6, sources said. The blaze was caused by a diesel leak near the International Terminals Co. dock, located between the Cargill and Cemex facilities. The channel was reopened the same afternoon, but transit remained unavailable near the source of the spill while cleanup efforts were underway.
Businesses affected by the closure included four Houston-area oil refineries, which were unable to receive shipments via the channel. The volume of fuel spilled had not been ascertained as of Sept. 6, sources said.
Dredging and debris removal in the West Canal will block daytime traffic at the Galveston Causeway Railroad Bridge through early 2017. The work is currently being conducted on a 12-days on, two-days off schedule, with transit continuing normally during nonworking hours.
The Corps lifted restrictions at Brazos Lock last week. Previously, elevated river levels limited operations to a single loaded barge or two empty barges per turn.
Lower Mississippi River: Shippers expect dike construction to cause transit delays in the Lake Providence area starting in mid-September. The work is projected to last through December.
Upper Mississippi River: Lock 15 at Mile 483 on the Upper Mississippi River will experience a 24-hour shutdown beginning on Sept. 14 at 5:00 a.m., effectively closing the river.
The Corps expects to restart the annual Thebes, Ill., rock removal project when levels at Cape Girardeau, Mo., fall below the 15-foot mark. Levels there were noted at 24.5 feet on Sept. 8. Shippers anticipate daytime restrictions and delays when work begins.
Illinois River: High water levels slowed navigation on the Middle and Lower Illinois Waterway last week, shippers said, but conditions on the Upper Illinois showed considerable improvement.
The Havana gauge registered minor flooding on Sept. 8, showing 14.7-foot levels and rising. Forecasts predicted a crest at 14.9 feet in the following 48 hours, although the National Weather Service expected levels to remain above action stage through at least Sept. 15.
Brandon Road Lock was closed on Sept. 7-8 for lock repair, blocking navigation through the lock.
Ohio River: An ongoing mechanical breakdown caused significant backups at Lock 52 last week, leading shippers to estimate navigation delays at an average 23 hours. Lock operators have been unable to raise 40-50 main chamber wickets positioned near the auxiliary chamber, causing a strong outward current and rendering the auxiliary chamber unusable.
Repairs are impossible until levels rise enough for all wickets to be raised, shippers said. The Corps alternated locking between northbound and southbound directions, passing 12 vessels at a time.
The Lock 52 main chamber is scheduled to close for repairs Sept. 5-16 and Sept. 19-30. It was unknown whether the lock’s auxiliary chamber closure would affect that schedule.
Vessels continued to be routed through the riverside chamber at Olmsted Lock. Tows were limited to 15 barges per lock with no hip barges permitted. Locking was suspended at Lock 53 for the week, allowing vessels to pass freely.
Main chamber maintenance at Montgomery Lock confined transit to the auxiliary unit for 16 hours daily. Traffic was routed through the auxiliary chamber from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m., and the main chamber reopened to overnight navigation, subject to an 80-foot width restriction. The chamber will temporarily reopen Sept. 3-4, Sept. 17-18, Oct. 1-2, Oct. 15-16, and Oct. 29-30 to clear waiting traffic. Work is slated to end on Nov. 17.
Maintenance scheduled for both the main and auxiliary chambers at Willow Island Lock is expected to trigger intermittent delays on Sept. 6-30. The auxiliary chamber at R.C. Byrd Lock will be unavailable Oct. 3 through Dec. 9 for maintenance and repairs.
The Corps once again updated dates for a planned Kentucky Lock shutdown. The lock is now scheduled to see intermittent delays on Oct. 4-9, followed by a complete shutdown stretching through Oct. 13. The shutdown will allow repairs to the upstream guide wall, during which shippers expect to detour through Barkley Canal. Work at Wilson Lock concluded Sept. 2, ending sporadic daylight-hour delays.
A hydraulic leak shuttered Lock 6 on the Allegheny River last week, closing the river until further notice. The Monongahela River’s Braddock Lock and Dam river chamber remained closed due to an unspecified equipment failure.
Arkansas River: A complete Webbers Falls Lock shutdown that began on Aug. 22 will block navigation to Inola, Catoosa, and Muskogee until transit resumes on Sept. 11, sources said.
David D. Terry Lock miter gate rehab concluded on Sept. 4, restoring access to Little Rock.