U.S. Gulf:
Despite a May 4 move below the 12-foot mark at the New Orleans river gauge, persistent high water levels at Baton Rouge, La., were understood to keep towing and horsepower restrictions in place between NOLA and Baton Rouge for another week. The NOLA gauge was slated to remain below the 12-foot threshold through at least May 23.
The West Canal’s Calcasieu Lock, located at Mile 238.5, was closed to travel during daylight hours on Monday through Thursday, blocking movements through the site between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Navigation is scheduled to begin normalizing on May 19.
A repair operation underway at the Bayou Sorrel Bridge was noted blocking navigation daily between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., and again from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Work at the site was scheduled to continue through the end of May.
Guidewall construction efforts at Bayou Sorrel Lock, projected to continue into early 2023, were noted hindering Monday-through-Friday travel between the hours of 6:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Delays were noted up to 25 hours for the week.
Bayou Chene remained closed to overnight travel due to floodgate construction, leaving transit available daily between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., while lengths were limited to 600 feet. Tows wider than 54 feet were required to travel with an assist vessel. Delays were anticipated in a general 6-12 hour range.
Maximum drafts at Miles 113-116 on the Atchafalaya River were posted at 10 feet due to shoaling reported in the Morgan City, La., area. In addition, tow lengths were capped at 600 feet, while lengths running longer than 400 feet were asked to use an assist tug. Widths were allowed up to a maximum 70 feet. Tows could bypass the restrictions entirely by detouring through the Port Allen Route.
Tows locking without assistance through Algiers Lock were subject to length and width maximums, effectively limiting barge counts to four standard barges or two 30,000 mt tankers per pass. Larger lockages were understood to remain available when traveling with an assist vessel. Most wait times were reported in the 20-37 hour range.
Ongoing construction scheduled through late 2022 at the Belle Chasse Bridge was anticipated to trigger intermittent navigational delays, expected to last up to 12 hours at a time. The structure is located at Mile 3 in the West Canal.
Port Allen Lock passages required up to 27 hours during the week, Corps data indicated, while most Industrial Lock waits were reported in a wide 10-26 hour range through May 9. Calcasieu Lock waits were posted up to 13 hours on May 9, and boats utilizing the Colorado Locks system were delayed up to nine hours.
Mississippi River:
High water levels at Cairo, Ill., were reported to restrict towing activity below St. Louis, with maximum barge counts reduced by 20-25%. Despite falling out of action stage late on May 8, depths recorded above the 25-foot mark at St. Louis through at least May 11 triggered daylight-only bridge navigation restrictions in the region, sources reported.
The gauge at St. Louis was recorded at 25.89 feet and falling on May 11. A 24-hour Flood Warning was posted for the area at 8:02 p.m. on May 10. Cairo levels stood at an action-stage 38.56 feet and rising on May 11. The gauge was forecast to crest at a minor-flood 40.5 feet on May 13, followed by a move below the 32-foot action stage on May 20. A Flood Warning posted May 10 was in effect through the morning of May 13.
High water at Vicksburg, Miss., and Baton Rouge prompted ongoing towing and bridge access restrictions further downriver, with no end immediately in sight.
The Vicksburg gauge was observed at an action-stage 36.08 feet and rising on May 11, with levels projected to remain at action stage through at least May 25. Baton Rouge stood above the 30.0-foot action stage threshold at 30.67 feet and rising on May 11, while forecasts predicted a 33.6-foot crest on May 24.
Rock-laying work reportedly started on May 10 at Mile 807 on the lower river. The roughly 30-day project was expected to block southbound movements through the area daily between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Lock 21 wait times were posted up to five hours during the week. Intermittent Lock 24 delays were seen in a 5-12 hour range, while Lock 27 passages were noted up to 14 hours.
Illinois River:
Heavy rains caused flood conditions on parts of the Illinois River, with levels prompting slowdowns and bridge clearance issues in the Starved Rock area.
Following a May 6 crest at a minor-flood 451.99 feet, levels at Starved Rock were noted receding to an action-stage 449.1-foot level on May 11. Depths at the site were forecast to move below action stage during the current week. Wait times at Starved Rock Lock were noted up to six hours for the week.
The gauge at Peoria was observed at an action-stage 17.13 feet and falling on May 11. Noted at an action-stage 21.57 feet on May 11, the LaGrange river gauge was projected to remain at restricted levels through May 16.
Repairs and maintenance at Brandon Road Lock were scheduled to begin on May 9 and run through Sept. 8. Movements through the site will be limited to overnight hours between May 9 and Aug. 14, with towing widths capped at 70 feet. Navigation will stop completely from Aug. 15 to Sept. 4, followed by a return to overnight-only travel on Sept. 5-8. Normal operation is scheduled to return on Sept. 9.
Elevated river conditions kept wickets down at both Peoria Lock and LaGrange Lock through the week, sources said, allowing vessels to transit both sites without locking.
Ohio River:
Heavy rains were reported slowing or stopping travel on the upper Ohio River during the week.
The primary lock chamber at Belleville Lock was reported shut from May 1 through June 29 for planned maintenance and repairs. Passage remained available through the site’s secondary chamber during the week, resulting in 2-4 day delays.
Greenup Lock was noted kicking off a main chamber repair closure on a parallel schedule to Belleville Lock, running from May 1 through June 29 and forcing movements through the auxiliary chamber. Wait times were reported in the 16-43 hour range during the week.
Daytime travel through Cannelton Lock was expected to remain unavailable on Wednesdays and Thursdays until May 26. An additional maintenance period proposed to run from July 5 through Nov. 11 was expected to limit access to the site’s main chamber.
Hannibal Lock repairs were proposed for July 5 through Oct. 8. If enacted, transport is expected to pass through the auxiliary chamber, with delays likely.
On the Tennessee River, Kentucky Lock waits were reported in a wide 4-15 hour range. Despite the reported late-April conclusion of repairs and maintenance at the site, intermittent Wilson Lock delays continued to be posted up to 48 hours during the week.
Miter gate machinery repairs at the Cumberland River were anticipated to impact Cheatham Lock travel starting on May 16 and running through Aug. 5. Work at the location was scheduled to be conducted on a repeating two-week pattern, consisting of an 11-day closure followed by a three-day period of unrestricted navigation.
Arkansas River:
Norrell Lock planned maintenance efforts will necessitate a series of transit shutdowns persisting into January 2023. The lock is scheduled to shut 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.