U.S. Gulf: Sources described ongoing high-water operating conditions throughout much of the Gulf shipping region.
Baton Rouge, La., remained an area of particular concern. The National Weather Service (NWS) recorded a 40.6-foot crest on May 30, slightly above the gauge’s 40-foot “major” flood threshold, and the third-highest depth reading for the area since May 2011. The gauge is predicted to descend slowly, remaining above flood stage through at least mid-June.
New Orleans reported levels at 16.46 feet and holding on May 31, just shy of the 17-foot flood stage.
The Corps estimated Industrial Lock delays at “24-plus hours” for the week. With 42 vessels queued to lock on May 31, however, some sources estimated wait times nearing two days. Algiers Lock waits were called 10-14 hours for the week, and Bayou Sorrel delays were reported in the 5-6 hour range.
The Brazos River floodgates were scheduled to resume normal operating hours on May 31. The gates had previously been closed to daytime navigation due to contractor activities. Dredging in the West Canal slowed transits at Miles 395-400 between Freeport Harbor and Upper Matagorda Bay. The dredge is operating on a 24-hour, seven-day schedule, necessitating that vessels contact the dredge prior to arrival to obtain passing instructions.
The Corps announced emergency guide wall repairs at Bayou Sorrel Lock starting on June 7. The work will close the lock to Monday-through-Thursday traffic between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., with the project set to conclude on Aug. 7. Harvey Lock will shut down completely for two months starting in August for dewatering and repairs. Sources cited a tentative Sept. 30 reopening date. Algiers Lock will be available as an alternate route.
Mississippi River: High-water conditions on the Upper Mississippi River slowed transits, prompting both reduced tow lengths and delayed pickups and deliveries.
Tows were slashed from 15 to 12 barges south of Minneapolis, adding an estimated 2-4 days to area transits. The Dubuque, Iowa, gauge registered a moderate-flood 18.41 feet on May 31 after peaking at 18.8 feet on May 29-30. Levels were predicted to recede below flood stage on June 2. Hannibal, Mo., depths were clocked at a minor-flood 18.54 feet and rising on May 31, with forecasts of a 19.7-foot peak on June 4.
St. Louis-area vessels continued to see tow lengths cut by 5-10 barges, and commercial navigation was restricted to daylight hours only between St. Louis and Cairo, Ill. Some shippers expected a return to normal operations on June 2-3. Until then, transit times were projected to swell by 2-3 days while restrictions remain in place.
Southbound tows were reduced by 5-15 barges between Cairo and Baton Rouge, shippers reported. Coupled with daytime running restrictions, southbound traffic faced delays in the 2-4 day range. The Cairo gauge returned a minor flood stage 42.24-foot reading on May 31, with the NWS forecasting a 43-foot crest on June 2-3.
Work on the Lock 15 lower guide wall, responsible for intermittent delays since May 20, was scheduled to conclude on June 3. The lock’s auxiliary chamber is closed for repairs through Aug. 3. The Mel Price Lock auxiliary chamber is scheduled to go offline July 7 through Sept. 10 for repairs.
Lock 19 waits were heard in the 3-4 hour range, while Locks 20, 21, and 22 reported transit times stretching to five hours. The Corps reported average Lock 25 delays of 7-8 hours on May 31.
Illinois River: Elevated water levels pushed into the Lower Illinois Waterway last week, triggering towing restrictions in the area. Travel times were estimated to run 2-5 days above average, but some sources expected operating conditions to normalize around June 2-3 based on recent NWS forecasts.
The Beardstown, Ill., river gauge was at a moderate flood stage level of 19.7 feet and falling on May 31. The gauge was predicted to remain above the 14-foot flood stage through at least June 7.
Ohio River: In an effort to reduce swollen river levels, Ohio River dams operated at maximum release last week. The resulting swift flows hampered northbound navigation, shippers said, increasing transit times by 12-24 hours below McAlpine Lock. Ongoing tow reductions of 5-15 barges at the Cairo interchange further slowed southbound transits, shippers said.
The Dashields Lock main chamber closed to daytime traffic May 30 through June 1, forcing navigation through the auxiliary chamber instead. Repairs have shuttered the Meldahl Lock main chamber through Oct. 2, driving all traffic through the auxiliary chamber for the project’s duration. Delays of 10 hours or more were reported on May 30-31. Ironton-Russell Bridge demolition closed the area to navigation on May 29. Additional work will close the channel again on June 15.
The main chamber at Greenup Lock is scheduled to shut down to daylight-hour navigation on Monday-through-Thursday transits, between June 5 and July 21. Cannelton Lock is scheduled to undergo a main chamber shutdown July 5 through Sept. 5, with substantial delays anticipated.
Major delays are projected for Emsworth Lock starting June 26. Locking will be limited to 12:00 a.m. through 8:00 a.m. daily. Vessels will be subject to an 80-foot width limit, and the lock will reopen every other weekend to relieve congestion. The Belleville Lock main chamber will be offline Oct. 2 through Dec. 7 for maintenance and repairs.
Wilson Lock, on the Tennessee River, will experience intermittent daylight-hour shutdowns through June 29, with some of the closures expected to block navigation for a full 10 hours. Sporadic service interruptions are predicted at Fort Loudon Lock June 15 through July 15 due to nearby bridge work. The Tombigbee Waterway will close at Demopolis Lock on July 6-11, blocking transit.
The Monongahela River’s Lock 4 is completely closed to weekday navigation through June 20. Passage is restricted to Saturday and Sunday locking via the auxiliary chamber only, with excessive delays reported.
The Allegheny River’s Lock 6 is closed indefinitely due to a hydraulic leak. Lock 4 is slated to shut down Oct. 2 through Nov. 8, closing the river. The Cumberland River’s Old Hickory Lock will be unavailable on June 4 for repairs, closing the river.
Arkansas River: Localized high-water conditions persisted on the Arkansas River last week, with Muskogee, Okla., levels pegged at 27.9 feet and holding on May 31, above the area’s 27-foot action stage. Barge movement continued for the week, with reduced barge counts on the upper river said to slow Catoosa deliveries.