U.S. Gulf:
Port Allen Lock experienced intermittent daytime shutdowns on July 25-26 due to lock equipment installation. A small number of additional shutdowns were expected to be announced at a later date. Wait times were quoted up to nine hours ahead of the project’s start.
Colorado Lock repairs scheduled for July 26 through Sept. 9 were projected to limit daylight access to the site daily between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Brazos Locks navigation was blocked on weekdays between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. due to repairs and maintenance. The project was expected to run through at least July 29, although an extension was possible. Normal access hours resumed on Saturday and Sunday. Weekday delays were noted up to 16 hours.
Intermittent daylight shutdowns were expected at Port Allen Lock on July 20-30, potentially blocking travel for up to 12 hours or more. Wait times were observed up to seven hours on July 25.
Wide-ranging dredging work in progress since the third week of July was expected to cause sporadic travel shutdowns at Algiers Lock, Industrial Lock, and Harvey Lock through mid-August.
Travel through the bridge at Mile 231 in the West Canal was reportedly unavailable daily between 5:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., and again from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Calcasieu Lock maintenance on July 18-29 blocked Monday-through-Thursday travel between 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and again from 1:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Calcasieu Lock is located at Mile 238.5 in the West Canal.
Bayou Sorrel Lock guidewall construction scheduled through February 2023 remained paused for the week, but was generally expected to resume on Aug. 1. Once begun, weekday lock access is anticipated to be unavailable between the hours of 6:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., with 24-hour operation scheduled to resume on Saturday and Sunday.
Repairs underway at the Bayou Sorrel Bridge, located at Mile 37 of the Port Allen Route, were set to block Monday-through-Thursday traffic from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The project was expected to run into second-half August.
Ten-foot draft limits remained in place through the Atchafalaya River’s Morgan City area due to extensive shoaling. In addition to the draft limits, tow lengths were capped at 600 feet, while widths were permitted up to 70 feet. Tows longer than 400 feet were advised to travel with an assist tug.
The discovery of potentially hazardous underwater pipes forced a complete travel shutdown through Little Island Pass, Middle Island Pass, and Riverside Pass. Vessels could bypass the restrictions entirely via a detour through the Port Allen Route, Coast Guard documents indicated.
Algiers Lock length and width limits effectively restricted unassisted tows to four standard barges or two 30,000 mt tankers per turn, although tows traveling with an assist vessel were able to lock with larger barge counts. Intermittent delays were noted up to 14 hours during the week.
Construction underway at the West Canal’s Belle Chasse Bridge, located at Mile 3, was expected to trigger intermittent navigation outages up to 12 hours at a time. The project will be in progress through the end of the year.
Industrial Lock delays were reported up to 26 hours during the week.
Mississippi River:
Dangerous heat levels once again impacted river operations in some areas of the Mississippi River Valley, prompting slowdowns in barge travel, loading activities, and other outdoor commercial and navigation-related efforts. A heat advisory on July 27 warned of a 105-110 degree heat index in northeast Louisiana, southwest Arkansas, and parts of western Mississippi.
Low water levels continued to hamper travel on the lower river, limiting drafts and cutting towing capacity. Drafts continued to be heard at a maximum 10.5 feet on northbound travel, while boats moving downriver were permitted up to 12.5 feet of draft. Maximum tow lengths were reduced by 10-15%.
Channel maintenance in progress through Aug. 7 was noted limiting southbound, daytime travel at Miles 336-337. Navigation was projected to be unavailable daily between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Power line work at Mile 107 was scheduled to conclude on July 27, beyond the project’s original July 20 end date. Daytime travel was operating on a one-way pattern daily between 4:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m., and again from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., while transit was completely unavailable from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
The Corps launched revetment activities at the lower river’s Mile 932. Tows traveling downriver were expected to be limited to 15 barges during daylight hours, with larger tows waiting until nightfall to pass. Delays were expected up to 12 hours.
Old River Lock was scheduled to begin daytime shutdowns on July 28, limiting locking availability daily from 6:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. through Aug. 29. The lock is then expected to shut entirely for miter gate installation from Aug. 30 through Nov. 13, blocking all movement through the site. Tows seeking access to the Red River during this time should detour through the Atchafalaya River.
Wait times were noted up to 5.5 hours at Lock 12. Lock 14 delays peaked at 7-14 hours on July 26, and Corps data showed 4-6 hour delays at Lock 17 during the week. Wait times were noted up to six hours at Mel Price Lock.
Illinois River:
Repair and maintenance work since May 9 at Brandon Road Lock continued to slow movements through the site during the week. Navigation was limited to overnight hours through Aug. 14, while a complete shutdown of the site will make transit unavailable from Aug. 15 through Sept. 4.
Overnight-only navigation at Brandon Road Lock will resume on Sept. 5-8, after which normal locking hours are projected to return on Sept. 9. Widths were limited to 70 feet on all lockages while the project is underway. Wait times were seen up to 14 hours through the week.
Wickets were reported up at both Peoria Lock and LaGrange Lock during the week, requiring lockages through both locations.
Ohio River:
McAlpine Lock, located in the Louisville, Ky., area at Mile 607, was reportedly shut to daylight travel on July 18-23 due to lock inspections, pushing delays to 12 hours or more.
Olmsted Lock maintenance prompted alternating closures between the primary and auxiliary lock chambers, starting on July 18. The project was slated to continue through Aug. 6, with minimal delays expected.
The Cannelton Lock main chamber is shut for miter gate replacement through Nov. 11, triggering travel through the secondary chamber. Most tows were expected to require multiple lockages to clear the site, triggering delays in the 8-28 hour range.
The main chamber at Hannibal Lock is closed to navigation through Oct. 8. Tows were heard passing through the auxiliary chamber, with minimal delays reported.
On the Tennessee River, Kentucky Lock wait times were observed in the 8-31 hour range during the week. Kentucky Lock is working through a long-term construction project anticipated to last until the end of 2024. Sporadic Pickwick Landing Lock wait times were noted at 4-8 hours, while delays at Wilson Lock were recorded up to 2.5 days over the weekend.
The Cumberland River’s Cheatham Lock is engaged in repairs through Aug. 5, with substantial delays expected. Navigation through the site was reported to follow an 11-days closed, three-days open pattern, set to repeat through the end of the operation.
Arkansas River:
Norrell Lock is set to close to daytime navigation on Aug. 1-10 for planned repairs and maintenance, blocking travel daily between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. The closures are projected to repeat on Aug. 21-Sept. 21; Oct. 20-Nov. 18; Nov. 29-Dec. 23; and Jan. 3-31, 2023. A complete shutdown of the site is scheduled for Sept. 30 through Oct. 9.
Joe Hardin Lock will undergo a daytime navigation shutdown on Sept. 12-19, and once more on Sept. 28-29. A total closure of the site is scheduled for Sept. 20 through Oct. 9.