US Gulf:
Draft restrictions on northbound tows moving above New Orleans continued at 9.5 feet due to low water levels, while tows were limited to widths of six empty barges or four loaded barges. Maximum drafts were noted at 9.5 feet in the East and West Canals. Shoaling continued to be reported in the Galveston Harbor area, as well as in the Houston Ship Channel.
Repairs to the southwest guidewall at Bayou Sorrel Lock scheduled into March spurred intermittent travel outages between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, pushing waits as high as 15.5 hours during the week.
Gate work at Bayou Boeuf Lock is loosely scheduled for mid-January, sources said, though no firm dates were announced as of Jan. 4. Sources expect at least three complete travel closures lasting four days each to complete the project.
Travel will be unavailable between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. through the BNSF Railroad Bridge at Mile 121.3 of the West Canal on Jan. 16, 18, 23, 25, and 30, as well as on Feb. 1 and 6. Repairs to the Ellender Bridge, located at the West Canal’s Mile 243, will halt navigation from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, between Feb. 5 and April 12.
Port Allen Lock wait times were reported up to 11 hours during the week, while tows transiting Industrial Lock faced intermittent 5-15 hour delays. Waits ran up to seven hours at Algiers Lock, and sporadic 5-16 hour wait times were noted at Colorado Lock. Corps data showed travel delays up to 38 hours at Brazos Lock. Harvey Lock is closed to overnight navigation due to low water levels, sources said.
Mississippi River:
Rising water levels allowed for softer restrictions on the Lower Mississippi River during the week. Loading drafts were reduced by 15-20% from normal levels on northbound travel, down from 20-25% at last report, while downriver movements continued to see a 10-15% reduction. Maximum towing widths increased to seven barges from the six barges noted previously.
The river gauge at Vicksburg, Miss., was pegged at a low-stage 4.4 feet and rising on Jan. 4. Forecasts predicted a crest at 7.0 feet on Jan. 8 before levels recede to 4.8 feet on Jan. 18. Memphis, Tenn., levels were forecast to peak above the area’s (-)5.0-foot low stage at (-)1.1 feet on Jan. 4-5, ahead of a projected fall to (-)6.0 feet on Jan. 18. Dredges were expected to return to work on the lower river during the week of Jan. 7.
Draft limits ran 10% below typical levels in the St. Louis area, sources said, while loading weights were reduced by 5-10% between St. Louis and Cairo, Ill. On the upper river, dredging was underway at Miles 166, 169, and 274.
While through-travel is unavailable on the upper river until mid-March, Locks 11-16 and 18-20 were scheduled to remain open on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. through March 9, conditions permitting. Locks 21 and 22 are staffed to pass vessels 24/7 throughout the winter. The upper river is scheduled to begin reopening for spring navigation on March 4-11.
Illinois River:
Loading drafts stood at a maximum 9-9.5 feet on the Illinois River, depending on location, up from nine feet reported previously. Wickets remained in the down position at both Peoria Lock and LaGrange Lock due to low water, forcing tows to lock through both locations. Dredging was in progress at Miles 226-228, sources said.
Ohio River:
Draft limits ran in the 9.5-10.5 foot range on the Ohio River, depending on location and direction of travel, off from 9.5-11 feet at last report. Tow lengths were permitted up to 15 barges.
Delays at Meldahl Lock continued due to an unscheduled lock shutdown, sources said, with waits clocked up to 14 hours for the week. Valve repairs will force shutdowns at Greenup Lock from March 4 to April 12, while work at both Markland Lock and Cannelton Lock are expected to limit movements between April 22 and June 7.
The Tennessee River’s Kentucky Lock is scheduled to go offline for upper guidewall replacement between Jan. 22 and Feb. 15. Waits at the site were quoted up to 11 hours, while boats transiting Wilson Lock were delayed up to six hours during the week.