American Currents

ACBL’s Daily River Conditions

Low Water Impact:
- Please see details below and contact your sales representative or local dispatcher regarding concerns with future loadings.
- Lower Miss Low Water Impact:
  - Due to the current river stage and operating conditions, ACBL implemented draft and tow-size restrictions working in conjunction with USCG and Industry.
    - Loading drafts were reduced by 24% NBD and 16 % SBD between Cairo to the Gulf.
      - Approx. reduction of 400-600 Tons per barge NBD and SBD.
    - Tow size is limited to 6-widths from Cairo to the Gulf, reflecting a 17-25% or 5-10 barge reduction in tow size pending horsepower class.
    - Expect delay to transit of 48-to-72 hours due to reduced navigable space in certain areas.
- Northern River Low Water Impact:
  - St. Louis loading drafts reduced, approx. 10% or 100-200 tons per barge below normal capacity.
  - Illinois and Mid-Miss loading drafts reduced by approx. 6% or 100 tons per barge.
  - Ohio River SBD loading drafts reduced by approx. 12% or 200 tons per barge.

Upper Miss Closeout – ACBL has sent out our annual guidance for final release dates to the Upper Miss and final departure dates off of this river. Click here for our full guidance.
- Lock 3 and 7 have been revised to December 4th, 2023, through March 15th, 2024.

American Bar Closure (OR 967 – 975) – Channel is back open, Locking southbound boats during day light hours and northbound boats during nighttime hours.

Meldahl Lock Closure (OR 436)– Delays due to unscheduled main chamber closure. The average delay is 16 hours.

Montgomery Lock Closure (OR 31) – Main Chamber is closed November 8th through November 22nd, will briefly reopen until November 25th, and will then close again November 26th through December 22nd.

Memphis Dredging (LM 737) – Dredge Hurley is in operation and expected to pass traffic through the remainder of the project. Once complete, the Hurley will reposition to Hickman at LM 925.

Lakeport Dredging (LM 525) – Dredge Jadwin is repositioning to Lakeport and expected to start the project 12/01 at 06:00 with intermittent closures.

Port Allen Delay (PA 63) – Due to the influx of traffic from the Algiers closure, currently averaging 44 hours of delay with 29 boats in queue. Expect to work through the backlog over the next week.

Bayou Sorrel Lock Closure (PA 37) – Daily closures resumed June 26th to facilitate guide wall repairs from 07:00 to 16:30. Work is expected to continue until complete in early March 2024. Currently experiencing 11 hours of delay with 2 boats in queue.
- As of 10/06, the USACE will leave the lock open to navigation after 07:00 each day for any tow that arrived prior to 16:30 the previous day to clear traffic. The daily closure will then resume.
- As of 11/09, the lock will focus on southbound locking’s during daylight hours and northbound locking’s in the evening to best manage vessel congestion.

Harvey Lock Closure (WC 0) – The lock reopened to partial traffic 10/16 A.M. after being closed to marine traffic since June 15th due to risk from reverse head conditions.
- When positive head conditions are under 1.5 ft, tows will be restricted to 300 ft in length, including barge and boat. Additionally, there will be no breakouts allowed and no tows 70 ft wide will be locked through.
- Planned closure on December 2nd from 07:00 to 19:00 to facilitate heavy lift cargo operation.

Bayou Boeuf Closure (WC 94) – There is a scheduled repair in Mid-January in 2024 that will require up to three separate complete four-day closures. More information to come as announced.

Leland Bowman Delays (WC 163) – Since August 21st, there are 2-hour delays between lockage to limit saltwater intrusion due to extremely low water levels in the Mermentau Basin. Experiencing minimal delay.

Delays to Transit at Panama Canal – Due to the lack of rainwater, there is significant delay to transit through the Panama Canal. Both north and southbound vessels are multiple days behind schedule, with smaller vessels averaging roughly a week worth of delay. In turn, expecting a delay to berthing schedules in the Gulf (NOLA, Mobile, Houston).