U.S. Gulf:
Weather forecasts showed persistent overnight fog throughout the Gulf region during the week, limiting movements for up to eight hours at a time. The conditions were expected to linger through the end of the week.
Navigation through Bayou Boeuf Lock remained restricted to overnight hours only on Monday through Friday, according to a Coast Guard posting. Transit was unavailable daily between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., although 24-hour lock access resumed on Saturdays and Sundays.
Shoaling continued to be reported at Mile 7 in the Houma Navigational Canal during the week. As a result, drafts were capped at 11 feet through Miles 6-10 until further notice.
Bayou Chene was inaccessible during overnight hours due to ongoing floodgate work. The waterway was shut nightly between 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., while daytime movements were limited to 600 feet of length. Towing configurations wider than 54 feet were required to use an assist vessel. Wait times were noted in the 6-12 hour range.
Shoaling continued through Miles 113-116 of the Atchafalaya River, near Morgan City, limiting vessel drafts to 10 feet. The Coast Guard restricted tow lengths to 600 feet, while strings longer than 400 feet were strongly advised to utilize an assist vessel. Widths were capped at 70 feet. Vessels could bypass the restrictions by detouring through the Port Allen Route.
Tows traveling through Algiers Lock remained limited to four standard barges or two 30,000 mt tankers per turn on unassisted lockages. Larger tows were possible when traveling with an assist vessel.
Construction efforts at the Belle Chasse Bridge were projected to continue through late 2022, causing intermittent delays up to 12 hours at a time. The bridge is located at Mile 3 in the West Canal.
Boats transiting Port Allen Lock were delayed up to 17.5 hours for the week, Corps data indicated. Industrial Lock travel was generally noted in the 4-9 hour range.
Mississippi River:
The Corps announced a round of channel reinforcement work for Mile 642 on the lower Mississippi River, set to begin on Jan. 5 and continue through February. Southbound tows are likely to see significant delays while the project is underway.
Low water levels in the St. Louis area continued to necessitate draft restrictions of 10-10.5 feet throughout the lower river. The gauge registered 3.78 feet and falling on Dec. 30, and was expected to recede to 0.0 feet by Jan. 12. Dredging in the St. Louis area reportedly caused lengthy delays on Dec. 27-29.
Upper river locks 1-18 were reported shut for the winter navigation season as of Dec. 29. Lock 24 was scheduled to go offline for 30 days on Jan. 1 before reopening on Jan. 31.
Lock 15 was projected to return to service on March 3, followed by Lock 5 and Lock 7 on March 11. Locks 5A, 8, and 10 were tentatively set to resume lockages on March 17, ahead of Lock 4 on March 21.
Six-hour delays were reported at Mel Price Lock during the week.
Illinois River:
Wickets were reported in the raised position at both Peoria Lock and LaGrange Lock for the week due to low water levels. Intermittent 10-14 hour delays were noted at Peoria Lock, while vessels passing LaGrange saw waits up to 23 hours.
A Brandon Road Lock repair and maintenance project scheduled to run from May 9 through Sept. 8 is expected to cause significant travel delays. Daytime shutdowns and 70-foot width restrictions will be in place from May 9 through Aug. 14, while lockages will be entirely unavailable from Aug. 15 through Sept. 4. Overnight-only travel will return on Sept. 5-8, ahead of a projected full reopening on Sept. 9.
Ohio River:
Montgomery Lock primary chamber repairs underway since late October were reportedly concluded on Dec. 22, ending a period of navigation delays reported as high as 10 days.
Transit remained unavailable through the Dashields Lock auxiliary chamber due to an underwater obstruction inhibiting miter gate function. Travel remained possible via the main chamber.
A proposed Cannelton Lock main chamber shutdown would inhibit primary chamber movements between July 5 and Nov. 11, forcing tows through the secondary chamber.
The Tennessee River’s Wilson Lock will undergo a main chamber shutdown from Feb. 23 through April 28, forcing tows to lock one barge per turn through the secondary chamber, likely producing delays. The Corps announced an updated mid-project relief opening slated for March 18-23, a change from the prior April 1-3.
Delays at Wilson Lock were quoted up to 54 hours for the week. Kentucky Lock waits tracked up to 15 hours on Dec. 29.
On the Cumberland River, Barkley Lock was scheduled for bio-acoustic fish fence (BAFF) maintenance on Jan. 15-30, blocking use of the site daily from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. A proposed maintenance shutdown at Cheatham Lock would limit movements from May 16 through Aug. 4.
The Allegheny River’s Lock 6 remained indefinitely shut to navigation due to reported damage to a miter gate anchorage.