U.S. Gulf:
Tropical Storm Cindy made landfall south of Lake Charles, La., on June 22, with flooding and isolated tornadoes expected. The moisture was predicted to focus on Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and western Tennessee, portending ill effects for water levels in the Gulf shipping region. Rainfall of 6-12 inches was expected, while localized totals were forecast to reach 15-20 inches in some areas. Storm surges of 1-3 feet were also predicted along the Gulf Coast. Most navigation was expected to pause for a minimum 24 hours following the landfall, sources said.
Industrial Lock delays were noted at an average 42-44 hours on June 21, with some vessels reporting waits of 75 hours or more. Algiers Lock waits stood at 8-9 hours, while Harvey Lock navigation peaked at 6 hours on June 22. Sources put Calcasieu Lock waits at 10 hours on June 20.
Bayou Sorrel Lock transit was interrupted by emergency guide wall repairs. Partial daytime shutdowns were predicted to block navigation between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday, through Aug. 7.
Dredging operations continued in the West Canal, between Freeport Harbor and Upper Matagorda Bay (Miles 395-400). The dredge was scheduled to operate on a 24-hour, seven-day schedule, slowing movement in the area. Colorado Lock required 2-6 hours for passage on June 21.
Harvey Lock is projected to close for dewatering and maintenance operations, tentatively scheduled to begin on Aug. 1. The lock is expected to reopen to navigation on Sept. 30. Algiers Lock will stand as an alternate route while work is underway.
Mississippi River:
Water levels improved further on the Upper Mississippi last week, allowing for the return of normal operating conditions. Tow lengths likewise reverted to standard maximum barge counts between St. Paul and Cairo.
High-water conditions continued to be reported south of Cairo, however, though the effects were significantly reduced compared to the sharp restrictions of recent weeks. Nighttime navigation returned to the Vicksburg area thanks to falling water levels. Vicksburg receded below the 35-foot action stage on June 20, and was forecast to hold steady at 34 feet through the coming week.
Slow transits continued to be expected between Cairo and Baton Rouge, where some speculated Tropical Storm Cindy could swell already elevated waters. The Baton Rouge gauge remained at an action-stage 33.46 feet on June 21, prior to Cindy’s arrival, and a Flood Warning and Flash Flood Watch issued for the area on June 20 was due to expire on June 22.
The Lock 15 auxiliary chamber is closed 7:00 a.m. through 12:00 p.m. until Aug. 3. Wait times at Lock 15 were described at 2-6 hours on June 20-21. The auxiliary chamber at Mel Price Lock is scheduled to close July 10 through Sept. 10, with minimal delays anticipated. Lock 14 reported average waits in the 4-5 hour range, while Lock 18 navigation required 3-4 hours for the week. Vessels towing 9-15 barges reported delays of up to four hours at Lock 22.
Illinois River:
Dams at both the Peoria and LaGrange Locks remained down last week, allowing vessels to pass without locking. The start of a planned June 15 LaGrange Lock closure was pushed back by 1-2 weeks, sources said. Once begun, navigation at LaGrange will be subject to a 70-foot width restriction, and limited to evening and overnight transits.
Ohio River:
Receding Ohio River levels failed to prompt raised dams at Lock 52 last week, as was previously expected. Wickets would be raised soon, however, sources reported – likely in the week ahead – with delays lasting a minimum 1-2 days while the process is underway. Lock 53 wickets will likely come up concurrently with those of Lock 52, sources speculated. J.T. Meyers Lock reported 22-hour delays on June 20-21.
The Meldahl Lock main chamber is closed to navigation through Oct. 2, forcing traffic to pass through the smaller auxiliary chamber instead. Delays of up to eight hours were reported for the week, with long waits expected for the duration of the project. The Greenup Lock main chamber is closed 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday, through July 21. Despite earlier delay predictions, lock operators reported minimal waiting for the week.
The primary chamber at Dashields Lock will see intermittent shutdowns June 19-28, with delays expected. The Cannelton Lock main chamber is due to close for lower miter gate repairs on June 26, pushing traffic through the auxiliary unit until work concludes on Sept. 18. Equipment offload will close the auxiliary chamber June 25-26 and Sept. 18-19, and delays are expected. Shippers predict extensive backups during the first week of the project.
The Smithland Lock auxiliary chamber will close for equipment loading on July 12 and Oct. 3. The Newburgh Lock auxiliary unit will be unavailable on July 14-16, and again between Sept. 27 and Oct. 1. Main chamber repairs will limit Belleville Lock access Oct. 2 through Dec. 7.
The Tennessee River’s Wilson Lock continued to face intermittent daytime delays last week. Repair efforts underway between 6:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. daily were scheduled to conclude June 29. Highway bridge work started on June 15 near Fort Loudon Lock will likely trigger sporadic service interruptions at that location, shippers said. The project is scheduled to run through July 15.
Lock 4, on the Monongahela River, reopened to navigation on June 20, ending a period of excessive delays stretching back to May 14. The Tombigbee Waterway’s Demopolis Lock is slated to close for repairs on July 6-11, closing the river.
The Allegheny River’s Lock 6 remains impassible due to a hydraulic leak, a shipper said. Lock 4 is scheduled to close Oct. 2 through Nov. 8, closing the river to commercial traffic. Cheatham Lock, on the Cumberland River, was scheduled to undergo a series of 10-hour closures over the June 19-23 period.
Arkansas River:
Arkansas River navigation continued to improve for the week, though a backlog at Rosedale contributed to slowed deliveries, sources said. Diver operations will shutter Dardanelle Lock to daylight-hour traffic on Sept. 5-14, closing the river.