Posted on March 21, 2019
Houston — Six United States Army Corps of Engineers and industry-controlled cutterhead and hopper type dredgers were working throughout Southwest Pass on Friday in an effort to restore the Mississippi channel to a 45-foot draft, according to Sean Duffy, executive director for the Big River Coalition.
Duffy confirmed that two additional industry hopper dredges will be arriving in the next few weeks.
Due to an unusually high Mississippi river stage, shoaling at Southwest Pass, a shipping channel 90 miles south of New Orleans where the river empties into the Gulf of Mexico, has restricted transit drafts to 41 feet.
“The Corps of Engineers is utilizing all dredging resources available to restore channel dimensions at Southwest Pass as soon as possible,” said Duffy.
“Also, the Corps’ Mississippi Valley New Orleans (MVN) is actively working the Bonnet Carre Spillway and indicate there are no plans to open any additional bays.”
The MVN has advised that the river stage above the Bonnet Carre Spillway crested on March 12.
“The latest maximum flow projection is 1.455 million cubic feet/second,” said Duffy. “This projection is based on the measured flow at Red River Landing, with timing adjusted for downriver. The operation of the Bonnet Carre Spillway will artificially control the crest at approximately 16.8 feet and maintain the maximum flow at New Orleans at or below 1.25 million cfs. The New Orleans Carrollton Gauge forecasts indicate that the artificially controlled crest has now been reached at 16.8 feet and is forecast to remain at that stage until April 5, before beginning a slow fall.”
“There may be another rise in mid-April, as high river conditions are expected to continue for the next few months,” he added.
The Big River Coalition represents 189 companies in the US Gulf, and “is committed to ensuring the future of navigation on the Mississippi River Ship Channel as one of the nation’s fundamental natural resources,” according to its website.
Source: spglobal.com
