U.S. Gulf:
Water levels above the 12-foot mark at New Orleans triggered fleet restrictions and towing surcharges starting on March 8, sources said. Levels stood at 12.77 feet and rising on March 16. Long-term forecasts showed the New Orleans gauge holding above the 12-foot mark through at least March 30.
Daytime navigation shutdowns at Brazos Lock were extended through mid-May, approximately 60 days beyond the previously mid-March timeline. Locking was unavailable between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, driving delay expectations up to 24 hours.
Bayou Sorrel Lock guidewall construction is underway through May 31. The project will block weekday lockages between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., and again from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Delays were reported up to 35 hours on March 14-16, with 18 tows noted in the locking queue.
Bayou Chene movements were unavailable during overnight hours due to ongoing floodgate construction, leaving access available daily between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Tows through the area during daylight hours were limited to 600 feet of length, while those wider than 54 feet were required to use an assist vessel. Delays were expected up to 6-12 hours.
Maximum Atchafalaya River drafts were posted at 10 feet through Miles 113-116 due to shoaling. In addition, lengths were restricted to 600 feet, while tows longer than 400 feet were encouraged to utilize an assist tug. Maximum widths were reported at 70 feet. Vessels were advised to avoid the restrictions entirely by detouring through the Port Allen Route.
Tows locking unassisted through Algiers Lock remained subject to strict length and width requirements, effectively holding lockages to four standard barges or two 30,000 mt tankers per pass. Larger configurations were reportedly possible with an assist vessel. Delays were noted in the 9-13 hour range, with additional intermittent stoppages heard in the 17-25 hour range.
Belle Chasse Bridge construction, scheduled to run into late 2022, prompted intermittent delay expectations up to 12 hours. The structure is located at Mile 3 in the West Canal.
Port Allen Lock movements were delayed up to 21 hours during the week, Corps data indicated, while wait times were posted up to 27 hours through Industrial Lock. Colorado Lock waits were observed up to 12 hours.
Mississippi River:
Elevated river levels required towing restrictions on the lower Mississippi River, sources said. In addition to reduced barge counts, some larger strings were running daytime-only through the Vicksburg, Miss., and Memphis areas, due in part to bridge clearance issues.
The river gauge at Vicksburg was at an action-stage 42.17 feet on March 16, just shy of the region’s 43-foot minor-flood threshold. Levels were expected to fall below action stage on March 25. The area between Baton Rouge, La., and New Orleans was also at an action stage 33.7 feet on March 16 and subject to a Flood Warning, set to remain in effect through March 30.
Rock placement work that kicked off in early January at Mile 642 on the lower river was scheduled to conclude on March 15. Tows moving in the downriver direction were reportedly delayed up to 12 hours while the project was underway.
Repair operations at the Fort Madison Railroad Bridge, located at the upper river’s Mile 383.9, were set to wrap up on March 14, ending a one-week period of limited daytime navigation.
Upper Mississippi River Locks 5A, 8, and 10 were tentatively slated to begin opening for spring navigation on March 17. Should current weather forecasts hold, sources expected the spring season’s first barges to begin reaching the Twin Cities area by the end of the month.
Illinois River:
Improved river conditions were reported on the Illinois Waterway during the week, allowing increased navigation speeds. Ice couplings were no longer required on lockages.
Brandon Road Lock is scheduled for a repair and maintenance operation from May 9 to Sept. 8. Overnight-only navigation will be in place between May 9 and Aug. 14, while towing widths will be capped at 70 feet. Navigation is scheduled to be completely unavailable Aug. 15 through Sept. 4, followed by a return to nighttime-only lockages on Sept. 5-8. Normal movements are set to return on Sept. 9.
Wickets were noted in the lowered position at both Peoria Lock and LaGrange Lock during the week, allowing for nonlocking navigation through both locations. Delays were noted up to five hours at Starved Rock Lock.
Ohio River:
High water levels continued to impact Ohio River transit during the week, but forecasts predicted improving conditions later in March.
Main chamber repairs and maintenance at Emsworth Lock that began on Feb. 22 forced tows to lock one barge at a time through the site’s auxiliary chamber during the week. Extensive delays were reported as a result, with most tows requiring 8-10 days to pass the site. The project is tentatively set to end on April 16.
Cannelton Lock repairs in progress through May 26 led to expected midweek delays of 12 hours or more. Cannelton Lock maintenance proposed for July 5 through Nov. 11 would limit access to the site’s primary chamber.
Dashields Lock main chamber work underway through March 31 forced tows to lock through the secondary chamber, leading to wait times in a wide 6-31 hour range. Following the main chamber shutdown, the site’s auxiliary chamber is scheduled to close on April 1-22 for repairs.
The primary chamber at Belleville Lock is projected to shut from May 2 through June 22 for repairs and maintenance, leaving traffic to lock through the secondary chamber. Hannibal Lock is scheduled to undergo a primary chamber shutdown from July 5 through Oct. 8 for repairs.
Extensive delays were reported at the Tennessee River’s Wilson Lock due to main chamber work scheduled through April 28. Passage has been relegated to the secondary chamber while work is underway, lifting delays to a reported 5-8 days during the week. The Corps has scheduled one main chamber opening on March 18-23 to pass waiting vessels.
Kentucky Lock delays were posted up to seven hours for the week, falling from 15.5 hours in the prior report.
Maintenance and inspections at the Cumberland River’s Bio-Acoustic Fish Fence (BAFF) will block Barkley Lock navigation between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on March 21-27. Detours will be possible through Barkley Lock and Kentucky Lock.
A proposed miter gate machinery repair project would limit Cheatham Lock navigation from May 31 to Aug. 5. Intermittent lock openings are expected to be scheduled during the closure.
Arkansas River:
Norrell Lock planned maintenance activities will necessitate a series of transit shutdowns running into January of next year, sources said. Lockages will be unavailable during daytime hours on June 1-11; June 22-July 21; Aug. 1-10; Aug. 21-Sept. 21; Sept. 30-Oct. 9; Oct. 20-Nov. 18; Nov. 29-Dec. 23; and Jan. 3-31, 2023.