U.S. Gulf: High water conditions were experienced in the Gulf of Mexico area last week, with tow lengths and transit schedules negatively impacted. Shippers also warned of delays in both pickup and drop-off times.
Long lock delays continued for the week. Wait times of 30-36 hours were reported at Industrial Lock, and Algiers Lock saw 26-28 hour transit delays. In the West Canal, the Bayou Sorrel, Colorado, and Brazos Locks all saw wait times greater than 24 hours. Boats transiting through Port Allen Lock experienced delays of 2-4 hours.
Intermittent closures at Leland Bowman Lock were expected to continue through March 31, and work at Calcasieu Lock is slated to end April 10.
Bayou Sorrel will see a complete closure July 15 through Sept. 15 for dewatering and repair operations. Significant delays are anticipated as traffic will be rerouted through Algiers, substantially boosting that lock’s transit volume.
Mississippi River: High water conditions continued on the Lower Mississippi River last week, with delays reported by shipping operators. Southbound traffic through Memphis and Vicksburg-area bridges were limited to daylight passage only.
The auxiliary chamber at Lock 27 on the Upper Mississippi is closed through May 11 due to construction, and the Mel Price Lock auxiliary chamber will be down through April 30 for gate replacement. Shippers said the main chamber was available for use, however.
Illinois River: Recent high flows on the Illinois River subsided last week, allowing for resumed operations at the LaGrange and Peoria Locks. Delays of about an hour were described at O’Brien Lock.
Ohio River: Levels on the Ohio River last week returned to normal above Jeffersonville, Ind., shippers said, allowing both Newburgh and J.T. Meyers Locks to resume normal operation. The dams at Locks 52 and 53 remained down, however, with traffic allowed to pass.
Intermittent auxiliary chamber closures were announced at Newburgh on April 2-6 and April 27-May 19, as well as a main chamber closure on April 6-27. Main chamber closures at Lock 52 are schedule between Aug. 31 and Sept. 11, and again on Sept. 14-25. Shippers warned of major delays during those periods.
On the Monongahela River, the Braddock Lock and Dam river chamber remained offline due to unspecified equipment failure, though the site’s land chamber was available. Intermittent closures through the Masontown Bridge project began March 24 and were anticipated to run through April 8. The site will see a complete channel closure during daylight hours on April 8-9.
Major delays at Winfield Lock on the Kanawha River were reported. Main chamber repairs at the lock, which began on March 23, were slated to extend through June 10.
A total river shutdown at Old Hickory Lock on the Cumberland River will be in effect July 14 through Aug. 4, with dewatering and maintenance efforts planned.
On the Tennessee River, shippers expected delays from main chamber closures at Wilson Lock. Daylight passage was scheduled to be unavailable March 23-28 and May 5-June 11, and the site’s auxiliary chamber will be available during daylight hours only. Shippers reported intermittent closures scheduled at both Guntersville and Pickwick Locks between Aug. 17 and Sept. 30.
Arkansas River: High river flows were reported on the Arkansas River between Lock 7 and the river’s mouth, prompting expectations of transit delays lasting 2-3 days.
Chouteau Lock will see a complete closure May 11-17, and Webbers Falls Lock will shutter completely between Aug. 24 and Sept. 14. Dates were finalized for maintenance at Montgomery Point Lock last week; work at the site will halt all traffic entering and exiting the river between Aug. 24 a