US Gulf:
Guidewall repairs at Bayou Sorrel Lock, located at Mile 37 of the Port Allen Route, have been extended through Oct. 30, sources said. Waits were quoted up to 15 hours during the week.
Drawbridge repairs scheduled through April 12 at the West Canal’s Ellender Bridge were reportedly blocking weekday navigation from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Bridge repairs at Mile 63 of the Port Alen Route will leave travel unavailable through the site between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on April 19, 21, and 23.
Bayou Boeuf Lock repairs are scheduled for April, sources said. The lock will shut from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on April 1-30, and full closures are expected on April 2-5 and April 9-12.
Brazos Lock repairs and maintenance previously set to conclude on Feb. 29 continued during the week, with no updated completion date reported on March 13. Locking was unavailable from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Delays peaked around 20.5 hours on March 11-12.
Wait times were reported up to eight hours at Port Allen Lock, while Corps data showed Industrial Lock passages topping out around the 29-hour mark. Tows waited up to 11 hours to transit Algiers Lock, and intermittent 5-14 hour delays were reported at Calcasieu Lock.
Mississippi River:
Sources continued to report a 10% reduction in maximum loading drafts for barges transiting the St. Louis area due to low river levels. Drafts were reduced by 5-10% on travel between St. Louis and Cairo, Ill. The St. Louis river gauge showed 2.0 feet of depth on March 13.
Locks located between Mile 648 and 797 of the Upper Mississippi River were tentatively scheduled to open for spring travel on March 16, conditions permitting, marking a full return from the winter navigation season. The Sabula Railroad Bridge at Mile 535 was scheduled to resume passing vessels on March 11, while other locks were reported opening as early as March 4-6. Tows destined for Dubuque, Iowa, or above were expected to begin releasing from St. Louis this week.
Dredging in progress at Miles 0-22 of the lower river was slated to run 24/7 through April 1, with additional intermittent work possible through the end of August. Vessels were advised to pass at the lowest safe speed. Delays were noted at 4-11 hours through Lock 12.
Illinois River:
Loading drafts were reduced by 5-10% on the Illinois River, sources said, allowing for a maximum 9-10 feet of draft, depending on location. Delays were reported up to six hours at Marseilles Lock, and tows waited up to eight hours to pass Starved Rock Lock. Wickets were down at Peoria Lock, allowing vessels to pass the site without locking.
The river will be closed at Miles 296-296.7 for five hours daily on March 20-21 and April 3-4 for fish barrier testing. Daytime shutdowns are planned at Brandon Road Lock on March 19 and 20 for miter gate and brake assembly work.
Mechanical dredging began on March 11 at Dresden Island Lock and will run from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday, until further notice. Dresden Island Lock will be offline for miter gate machinery installation during daylight hours on March 26 and 27.
Ohio River:
A main chamber shutdown at Meldahl Lock prompted wait times in a wide 4-24 hour range during the week, down from 27 hours at last report. Locking was available solely through the auxiliary chamber, and repairs were expected to continue into late March.
Greenup Lock valve repairs are underway through April 12, sources said, with minimal delays reported during the week. Planned work at Markland Lock and Cannelton Lock is scheduled for April 22 through June 7, while Markland Lock will close again on June 10-28 for miter gate repairs.
Racine Lock will undergo machinery work between June 1 and July 11, and miter gate repairs will delay Hannibal Lock travel between June 15 and Nov. 7. Belleville Lock will see alternating main and auxiliary chamber shutdowns lasting 30 days each during the second half of the year.
On the Tennessee River, wait times were posted up to 22 hours at Kentucky Lock, while tows waited as high as 19 hours to transit Wilson Lock. Old Hickory Lock, on the Cumberland River, will close to overnight travel on March 18-31, followed by a complete shutdown between April 1 and May 9.
Arkansas River:
Repairs to the Van Buren Bridge were rescheduled once again. Originally planned for February, the project was pushed back to March, then April, and is now slated to begin on Aug. 16. Work will run for about 18 days, and vessels will be cleared to pass the site after the ninth day of work. The bridge is located at Mile 300.8 of the Arkansas River.