U.S. Gulf:
Drawbridge malfunctions reported in the West Canal during the week caused multiday delays. Navigation was expected to rely on intermittent manual bridge openings until repairs are completed, potentially lasting 1-2 weeks.
Brazos Lock was reported shut to daylight-hour traffic Monday through Friday, expected through the end of the month. Delays were anticipated at 12-24 hours.
Guidewall construction at Bayou Sorrel Lock, in progress through late May, was expected to limit access to the site between 6:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Wait times were noted holding under five hours on March 8.
Weekday movements through Bayou Boeuf Lock were projected to begin normalizing on March 8, ending a period of 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. maintenance-related shutdowns. The shutdowns were reportedly limited to Monday through Friday, while 24-hour access remained available on weekends throughout the project.
Travel through Bayou Chene was limited to the hours of 7:00 a.m. through 7:00 p.m. due to floodgate construction, a Coast Guard posting indicated. Tows accessing the waterway were limited to 600 feet of length, while the use of an assist boat was required for configurations measuring wider than 54 feet. Intermittent daylight-hour shutdowns were also expected due to dive operations, resulting in additional 6-12 hour delays.
Shoaling reported at the Atchafalaya River’s Mile 113-116 has prompted ongoing draft restrictions in the Morgan City, La., area. Maximum drafts were reduced to 10 feet, a Coast Guard posting indicated, while tow lengths were capped at 600 feet, combined with a maximum 70 feet of width. Barge strings measuring longer than 400 feet were advised to make use of an assist vessel or to bypass the restrictions entirely via a detour through the Port Allen Route.
Tow length and width restrictions remained in effect at Algiers Lock, effectively capping unassisted navigation at four dry barges or two 30,000 mt tankers per lockage. Tows traveling with an assist tug were permitted larger barge counts, however.
A Belle Chasse Bridge construction project scheduled to run through late 2022 was expected to result in sporadic navigation shutdowns running up to 12 hours at a stretch. Belle Chasse Bridge is located near Algiers Lock in the West Canal, at Mile 3.
Port Allen Lock delays were reported in the 7-15 hour range for the week. Intermittent Industrial Lock waits were also noted up to 15 hours. With 28 tows counted in line to pass Calcasieu Lock on March 8, delays were quoted up to five days.
Mississippi River:
High water conditions tightened towing restrictions on the lower Mississippi River during the week. Reduced barge counts were expected to remain in effect, while larger tows were restricted to Vicksburg, Miss., bridge navigation during daytime hours due to the elevated conditions.
Levels at Vicksburg were reported at an action-stage 40.88 feet and rising on March 9, with forecasts predicting a 41.1-foot crest on March 14-18. A flood warning for the region on March 9 was due to expire late on March 13. River levels at Memphis were predicted to remain above action stage through March 19, limiting travel through the area.
Channel reinforcement underway at Mile 642 on the lower river was scheduled to conclude on March 15. Tows moving in the southbound direction experienced delays up to 12 hours.
Repair work that began on March 7 at the Fort Madison Railroad Bridge was expected to limit daytime navigation through the upper river’s Mile 383.9 until approximately March 14.
The upper Mississippi River’s Locks 1-13 remained closed for winter maintenance on March 9, Corps data indicated. Locks 5A, 8, and 10 were tentatively set to resume spring navigation on March 17, ahead of the previously scheduled March 22.
Intermittent 5-13 hour delays were reported at Lock 21 during the week. Lock 27 wait times ran up to 5.5 hours.
Illinois River:
Icy conditions and raised river levels impacted travel on the Illinois River during the week, sources said, limiting maximum barge counts and slowing overall transit speeds. Ice couplings continued to be required.
Wickets were reported in the lowered position at both Peoria Lock and LaGrange Lock, allowing for lockless navigation through both locations. Water levels at Peoria receded below action stage on March 3, and were reported at 15.34 feet and falling slowly on March 9.
Repairs and maintenance are scheduled at Brandon Road Lock from May 9 to Sept. 8. The Corps warned of overnight-only travel between May 9 and Aug. 14, followed by a complete lock shutdown from Aug. 15 through Sept. 4. Overnight navigation will resume Sept. 5-8, after which the lock is projected to reopen on Sept. 9. A 70-foot width limit will be in effect on all lockages while work is underway.
Ohio River:
Heavy precipitation in the Ohio River Valley exacerbated a bout of high-water-driven navigation slowdowns during the week, with both slowed fleet movements and restricted lock activity reported.
Primary chamber work underway at Emsworth Lock since Feb. 22 limited navigation to the secondary chamber, where tows were limited to locking a single barge per pass. Massive delays were seen during the week as a result, with wait times noted at 2-6 days, falling from 4-7 days in the prior report. The project is scheduled to continue through April 16.
Cannelton Lock travel remains limited to daylight hours only on Wednesdays and Thursdays through May 26. An additional shutdown proposed for Cannelton would run from July 5 through Nov. 11, forcing passage through the site’s secondary chamber.
The main chamber at Dashields Lock was reported shut through March 31, prompting detours through the auxiliary chamber. Repair operation are scheduled to close the secondary chamber on April 1-22.
Belleville Lock is scheduled for a primary chamber shutdown from May 2 through June 22 to allow for repairs and maintenance. Traffic is anticipated to pass through the secondary chamber while work is underway.
A proposed Hannibal Lock main chamber shutdown would limit navigation between July 5 and Oct. 8, a Corps notice indicated.
On the Tennessee River, main chamber work was in progress at Wilson Lock through April 28, forcing traffic to detour through the secondary chamber. Boats transiting Wilson Lock reported wait times of 3-5 days as a result, although delays were predicted to swell to a possible seven days or more as the project continues. The Corps has scheduled a single six-day relief opening of the main chamber, currently slated for March 18-23.
Delays at Kentucky Lock were noted as high as 15.5 hours for the week.
Scheduled maintenance to the Cumberland River’s Bio-Acoustic Fish Fence (BAFF) system will close the site to daytime navigation on March 21-27. Alternate passage will be available through Kentucky Lock and Barkley Lock.
Proposed Cheatham Lock repairs and maintenance were expected to impact travel through the site from May 16 to Aug. 4.
Arkansas River:
Planned Norrell Lock maintenance and repairs were projected to block daylight-hour travel through the site on June 1-11; June 22-July 21; Aug. 1-10; Aug. 21-Sept. 21; Sept. 3-Oct. 9; Oct. 20-Nov. 18; Nov. 29-Dec. 23; and Jan. 3-31, 2023. Navigation will be unavailable daily through Norrell between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. while work is underway.