US Gulf:
Extended shutdowns were reported throughout the Gulf shipping region due to heavy fog. While visibility was expected to improve by midweek, heavy rain and thunderstorms on Jan. 24-25 were likely to keep fleets in a holding pattern, sources said. The rains triggered flood watches in several areas, including Baton Rouge, La., with most scheduled to expire on Jan. 25.
Guidewall repairs forced daytime shutdowns at Bayou Sorrel Lock, where repair work was set to run daily from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through June 26. Wait times were posted in a wide 6-22 hour range for week.
Harvey Lock was shut for miter gate repairs on Jan. 22. The closures were scheduled to repeat during daytime hours on Jan. 23-25. Harvey has been shut to overnight navigation since October due to low head conditions.
The BNSF Railroad Bridge at Mile 121.3 of the West Canal was scheduled to close to vessel traffic from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Jan. 23, 25, and 30, as well as on Feb. 1 and 6. Transit through the St. Claude Avenue Bridge, located at Mile 6.5 in the West Canal, will be unavailable from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Feb. 24. Work scheduled at Ellender Bridge, at the West Canal’s Mile 243, will block weekday travel from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Feb. 5-April 12.
Bayou Boeuf Lock was offline for repairs on the morning of Jan. 22, sources said. The work ran ahead of a more intensive repair project scheduled for mid-February. Brazos Lock is closed for maintenance from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. through an estimated Feb. 29. Intermittent waits were noted up to 25 hours for the week.
Port Allen Lock delays peaked at nearly 21 hours on Jan. 23-24, and wait times tracked up to 41 hours at Industrial Lock during the week. Algiers Lock waits were posted in a wide 5-36 hour range, while Calcasieu Lock passages required up to nine hours to complete. Tows waited up to seven hours to lock through Colorado Lock.
Mississippi River:
Widespread navigation stoppages were reported early in the week due to foggy conditions, sources said, while dense fog advisories were posted in the Memphis, Tenn., and St. Louis areas at midweek.
Ice coverage in the St. Louis area was reported up to 70%, complicating travel through the harbor. Ice was also noted south of St. Louis, though the conditions were said to improve later in the week.
Flood watches were in effect at Memphis and Vicksburg, Miss. Vicksburg was also under a severe thunderstorm warning through Jan. 25.
Through-travel from St. Louis to St. Paul is unavailable for the winter season. Locks 11-16 and 18-20 are scheduled to remain open for locking on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. through March 9, and Locks 21 and 22 will be open 24/7, conditions permitting. The upper river is scheduled to begin reopening for spring navigation on March 4-11.
Illinois River:
Arctic conditions continued on the Illinois River, driving excessive ice formation and slowing commercial navigation. Maximum tow sizes were rolled back by 25% or more, and ice couplings were in use for the full length of the river.
Travel was completely unavailable through Mile 189, sources said. Numerous stalled and idled tows dotted the waterway and slowed navigation, while shippers hoped that late-week rains in the forecast would accelerate ice melt.
Intermittent Marseille Lock delays were reported in the 3-5 day range, while a handful of tows were noted holding at Starved Rock Lock for nine days or more due to the conditions.
Ohio River:
Allowable loading drafts were reported at 10-11.5 feet on the Ohio River. Tow lengths remained at a maximum of 15 barges.
An ongoing main chamber outage at Meldahl Lock pushed delays as high as 46 hours, Corps data indicated. Greenup Lock will shut for valve repairs between March 4 and April 12, and work at both Markland Lock and Cannelton Lock is expected to slow travel from April 22 to June 7.
Kentucky Lock on the Tennessee River was slated to undergo upper guidewall replacement on Jan. 22-Feb. 15. Early-week waits reported at 5-14 hours swelled to 17-27 hours on Jan. 24-25 due to fog. Tows needed up to 13 hours to pass Wilson Lock.
The Cumberland River’s Old Hickory Lock will see intermittent shutdowns between March 18 and May 9.
Arkansas River:
Lock 2 will close to daytime travel on Feb. 5-9. The Van Buren Bridge, located at Mile 300, is expected to shut on Feb. 7-25 for repairs. A single opening is scheduled on Feb. 16 to pass waiting vessels.