1. No category

Thursday, May 21, 2015
Noteworthy

Colorado and Brazos locks are experiencing delays due to high flows.

Wilson Lock (TR 259) main chamber is closed until 6/11, expect delays of 24-48 hours

Emsworth Lock main chamber (OR6.2) will be closed for repairs for 6/8 to 7/10 and again 8/3 to 9/18. Delays could easily equal or
surpass the 2-4 days.

Bayou Sorrel Locks will be closed from 15 July to 15 September for dewatering operations, repairs and maintenance to the lock. We will
be able to transit the Algiers lock but significant delays are expected during the
closure for barges going to and from the West Canal due to the increase in volume
through this lock.

Potential closure of the Montgomery Point lock from August 24 to September 30.
This closure will shut off navigation to the Arkansas River if we are experiencing
low water levels on the Arkansas City gauge.
Weather Report
Above normal rain to continue over the Plains States during the next three
months.
A cold front stretches across the Gulf Coast into southern TX. The front
will move northward as a warm front tomorrow/Saturday and become stationary across the Arkansas/Red River Valleys Sunday/Monday. Another
round of very heavy rains are expected over the Arkansas/Red River Valleys with the heaviest rains expected to fall on Saturday/Sunday.
A frontal system will remain stationary across northern IL/southern IA into
the Missouri Valley. Moderate to locally heavy rains are expected.
Current Loading Draft
Upper Mississippi
St. Paul to McGregor
9’0 Max
McGregor to Burlington
9’3 Max
Burlington to St Louis
9’6 Max
Ohio
Pittsburgh Cincinnati
10’0 Max
Cincinnati to Cairo
10’6 Max
St. Louis South
1’6 Freeboard
Cairo South
1’6 Freeboard
Illinois
Lemont to LaSalle
9’3 Max
LaSalle South
10’0 Max
Scheduled Lock Closures
Lock Delays
Mississippi
Lock 12
UM557
0700-1900 5/15
Lock
Ohio River
Newburgh
600’ Chamber
closed
Repairs to start 5/17
Racine Lock
Main Chamber
closed
5/26 to 7/24
Emsworth
OR6.2
Main Chamber
6/8 to 7/10 & 8/3 to 9/18
Kanawha River
Winfield Lock
Main Chamber
Lock Queue
Lock Delay
O’Brien Lock
SG326
0
<1 Hours
Lock 27
UM185
4
2-4 Hours
Lock 20
UM343
0
<1 Hours
R C Byrd
OR279
0
<1 Hours
Lock 52
OR939
Dam is
Down
Bayou Sorrel
PA 36
11
10-12 Hours
Port Allen
LM228
3
2-4 Hours
Algiers
LM88
16
18-20 Hours
Industrial
LM92
9
12-14 Hours
3/23 to 6/10
Current River Conditions
Monongahela River
Maxwell
River Chamber 4/27 to 5/29
Elizabeth L/D
River Chamber 4/27 to 5/29
Tennessee River
Wilson Lock
Main Chamber
5/5 to 6/11 Auxiliary Open
Old Hickory Lock
Main Chamber 7/14 to 8/4
Pickwick Lock
Main Chamber
8/17 to 9/30 intermittent closures
Guntersville Lock Main Chamber
8/17 to 9/30 intermittent closures
Arkansas River
Montgomery Point
Complete Closure
8/24 to 9/30
Webbers Falls Lock
Complete Closure
8/24 to 9/14
Gulf & West Canal
Bayou Sorrel Lock PA36
Complete closure
7/15 to 9/15
Colorado Floodgates
Intermittent closures
Daylight hours 4/6 to 6/30
Area
24 Hr.
Change
Current
5/22
5/23
Flood
Stage (ft.)
St. Paul
+0.8
6.41
6.7
7.1
14
Dubuque
0
6.67
6.7
6.7
17
Morris
+0.1
6.32
5.9
5.7
16
Peoria
-0.4
13.38
13.3
13
18
St. Louis
+1.5
22.23
22.7
22.2
30
Cape
Girardeau
+2.5
26.57
27.7
28.4
32
Pittsburgh
-0.1
16.93
16.6
16.6
25
Cincinnati
+0.8
28.01
26.8
26.6
52
+0.1
12.81
12.5
12.5
23
0
14.7
14
13.2
55
Evansville
-0.8
15.85
15.7
15.3
42
Paducah
+0.7
14.45
14.4
15
39
Cairo
+1.1
25.71
26.6
27.8
40
Memphis
+0.5
9.95
10.6
11.3
34
Muskogee
+0.8
21.41
——
——
28
Little Rock
+0.1
13.97
15.7
17
23
Vicksburg
0
30.25
30.2
30.4
43
Baton Rouge
+0.1
28.15
28.3
28.2
35
New Orleans
0
10.08
10.3
10.5
17
McAlpine
Upper
McAlpine
Lock
River Specific Information
Current Flooding

Minor to major flood stage is occurring on the Red River and its
tributaries in Texas/Oklahoma /Arkansas

Minor flood stage is occurring on numerous tributaries in Arkansas/Louisiana.

Minor to moderate flood stage is occurring on the Missouri River
and its tributaries over Missouri, Nebraska and Kansas.
Tennessee/Cumberland River

Arkansas River

Hurricane Season 2015

Wilson Lock man chamber is scheduled to be closed from May 5
until June 11, expect 48+ hour delays
Hurricane season in the Atlantic begins June 1 and ends November 30.
Arkansas river has basically ceased operations. Flood storage utilization in Oklahoma is at or above 40%. Only around 2-2 1/2%
of the water can be evacuated daily and unfortunately more rain
is forecasted this weekend. It will be a while before safe navigation can be resumed. (per John Janoush with Jantran)
Lower Mississippi
Upper Mississippi

Lock 17 at UM437 will be closed to all navigation from 0700 to
1900 on Thursday May 14.

Repairs on Mel Price Aux begins Monday May 18th.
Illinois

Peoria Lock & LaGrange Locks are down.

Brandon Road Lock and Dam (IR 286) will be closed from 0700
to 1700 on Wednesday May 20, 2015 for repairs.

Dresden Island Lock (IR271) will be closed from 0800 to 1200
on Thursday May 21, 2015 for repairs.

Gulf

Emsworth Lock main chamber (OR6.2) will be closed for repairs for 6/8 to 7/10 and again 8/3 to 9/18. Delays could easily
equal or surpass 2-4 days.

Maxwell Lock on the Monongahela river mile 61 will be closed
0800 to 1600 5/20 for repairs.
Fog threat in the Gulf Coast is minimal this week.
West Canal

The Atchafalaya River at Morgan City is 4.79’ and falling slow,
high flows are slowing transit thru the area. Tow size restrictions
are in place.

Brazos River is on restriction due to high flows.

Colorado River restriction are in effect due to high flows.

Closures at Calcasieu Lock daily from 0700 to 1700 4/21 to
6/30

Colorado floodgates will be down for repairs Monday through
Friday daylight hours April 6th through July 3.
Ohio

Matt Laying and weir Dike construction schedule for 2015, likely
be daytime or partial daytime closures. LM893 from 9/5 to
9/12; LM714 from 9/17 to 9/22; LM643 from 6/24 to 10/8;
LM418 from 11/7 to 11/17.