US Gulf:
High water levels on the Lower Mississippi River prompted tightening restrictions above New Orleans, with tow lengths reportedly cut by up to 25%. Delivery delays continued to be heard up to 48 hours as a result.
The Baton Rouge river gauge was posted at an action-stage 31.51 feet and rising on April 4, with a 34.5-foot crest predicted on April 8-10. The minor flood stage at Baton Rouge starts at 35.0 feet.
Overnight travel was restricted through the Black Bayou Bridge, located at Mile 237 in the West Canal, after a vessel reportedly collided with the structure on April 1. Nighttime transits required the use of an assist vessel, sources said.
Algiers Lock will be closed to navigation from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday, through May 4. Waits were recorded up to 57 hours during the week, up from the week-ago 35 hours.
Guidewall repairs at Calcasieu Lock were set to run through April 6, blocking daytime travel on Monday through Friday. Waits were posted up to 21.5 hours during the week, rising from 4-11 hours reported previously. Daytime travel closures at Brazos Lock concluded on March 31, sources said.
Colorado Lock repairs underway since Dec. 5 blocked travel daily from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., triggering delays up to 13.5 hours, off from 27 hours at last check. Movements were expected to begin normalizing on April 28.
Repairs to the Bayou Boeuf north chamber are scheduled to kick off on April 10, blocking weekday navigation between 7:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Detours will be available through Bayou Chene for the duration of the project, currently scheduled through May 12. Intermittent shutdowns at the Morgan City Railroad Bridge, located at the West Canal’s Mile 121, were set to run from mid-April through September.
Port Allen Lock wait times were reported up to seven hours, while boats passing through Industrial Lock required up to 48 hours to lock. Fog and high winds delayed transits throughout the Gulf by up to 72 hours.
Mississippi River:
Water levels remained elevated on the lower river, prompting towing restrictions, increased travel times, and widening delivery windows. Maximum tow sizes were reduced by up to 25%, triggering delivery delays up to 48 hours.
The Vicksburg gauge, posted at an action-stage 39.82 feet and rising on April 5, was expected to crest at 40.3 feet on April 6-7. The Baton Rouge gauge was forecast to crest on April 9-10. Both locations will remain above action stage through at least April 19, according to NWS forecasts. An April 5 flood warning for the Mississippi River at Red River Landing was scheduled to expire on April 20.
Waits were reported up to five hours at Lock 18, while Chain of Rocks Lock saw intermittent 16-hour waits. Lock 1 and the St. Anthony Falls Upper Lock, both located in the Twin Cities area, remained closed to navigation during the week.
Illinois River:
Sources described minor flooding on the Illinois Waterway between Starved Rock Lock and Beardstown, Ill.
Wickets continued in the lowered position at Peoria Lock and LaGrange Lock due to the high water levels, allowing boats to transit both locations without locking. Waits were posted up to 10 hours at Marseilles Lock, while Starved Rock Lock delays ran up to 15 hours. Sources reported daytime slowdowns near Dresden Island Lock due to mechanical dredging.
The Illinois River is scheduled to shut to commercial travel from June through September for lock repairs and maintenance.
Ohio River:
NWS data showed falling water levels on the Ohio River. The Cincinnati river gauge was posted at 37.01 feet on April 5, after cresting at an action-stage 40.25 feet on April 3.
Floating mooring repairs underway at the JT Meyers Lock main chamber were scheduled through Aug. 20, triggering intermittent slowdowns. The site’s auxiliary chamber is due to close Aug. 21 through Sept. 10 for miter gate repairs, followed by an additional main chamber shutdown running Sept. 11 through Nov. 17.
Primary chamber work at Hannibal Lock, begun on Feb. 20, was extended through April 10, three days past the originally-scheduled April 7 end date. Corps data put delays up to 23 hours through the week. The Greenup Lock main chamber is shut until April 12. The auxiliary chamber at Melville Lock is due to close April 17 through Aug. 4 for maintenance.
The Tennessee River’s Kentucky Lock saw delays up to 18 hours. Wilson Lock transits were also delayed up to 18 hours.
Arkansas River:
The planned Maynard Lock shutdown has reverted to its original April 10-14 timeline, sources said. The scheduled outage was briefly reported shifting to April 13-14.