GL: additional river info via Internet

[cmbarger at ualr.edu]

In light of Elaine Reib's posting about a fire on the railroad bridge over the Ohio at Metropolis, I checked this morning's Broadcast Notice to Mariners for the Ohio Valley sector. Nothing there about the bridge, so I expect that means it was a temporary problem that has been addressed. The only things relevant to those of you headed down the Mississippi to the Ohio were the following (and please excuse the allcaps, but that's how the USCG has it and may explain why broadcasters sometimes stumble over words and sentences as they read on the air):
USCG EIGHTH DISTRICT NOTICE TO MARINERS NR 0761-07 OV
UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER
THE U.S. COAST GUARD CAPTAIN OF THE PORT OHIO VALLEY IN
CONSULTATION WITH THE RIVER INDUSTRY ACTION COMMITTEE, UNDER THE
AUTHORITY OF THE PORTS AND WATERWAYS SAFETY ACT, HAS ESTABLISHED A
SAFETY ZONE ON THE UMR FROM MILE MARKER 82.3 TO MILE MARKER 83.3
EXTENDING THE ENTIRE WIDTH OF THE RIVER.  THE SAFETY ZONE IS IN
EFFECT BEGINNING THURSDAY, AUGUST 09, 2007 AT 7:00 A.M. LOCAL UNTIL
AUGUST 19, 2007 AT 10:00 P.M. UNLESS CANCELLED SOONER.  THIS SAFETY
ZONE HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED DUE TO THE SALVAGE OF A SUNKEN BARGE AT MM
82.8 UMR. ALL TOWS ARE NOT TO EXCEED 30 BARGES.  SOUTHBOUND TOWS
PUSHING MORE THAN 15 BARGES WILL BE DOUBLE TRIPPED.  THE M/V JOE PAT
ECKSTEIN WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR ALL TOWS REQUESTING ASSISTANCE.
COMMERCIAL VESSELS REQUESTING ASSISTANCE SHOULD CONTACT THE M/V JOE
PAT ECKSTEIN ON VHF CH-13. FOR QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS BROADCAST
PLEASE CONTACT CG MSU PADUCAH AT 270-442-1621 OR CG SECTOR OHIO
VALLEY AT 1-800-253-7465 OR VHF CH-16.
 
USCG EIGHTH DISTRICT NOTICE TO MARINERS NR 0799-07 OV
UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER
THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS IS CONDUCTING DREDGING OPERATIONS AT MILE
7.0 UMR.  DREDGING OPERATIONS WILL BE CONDUCTED TWENTY FOUR HOURS A
DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.  VESSELS TRANSITING THE AREA ARE REQUESTED TO
KEEP A SHARP LOOKOUT AND TRANSIT THE AREA WITH CAUTION.  THE M/V
POTTER WILL BE MONITORING CHANNELS 13 AND 16 FOR ALL CONCERNED
TRAFFIC.

To find these reports, go to the USCG "Homeport" website, http://homeport.uscg.mil. At the top of the page under the title, click the "Port Directory" link. In the new window, look for the drop-down menu in the upper right, and click it to find the Coast Guard Sector you're interested in (in this case, I looked at Ohio Valley). Select that unit and you will then be directed to its page. On the right-hand side, under "Safety and Security," you should see a link for "Notice to Mariners." Click it to see what's available. 
A problem with this site is that you won't always find content there, which may be due to some inconsistency among the units. On the other hand, when they do post the Broadcast Notices, it's very helpful.

Another website I regularly check while cruising the rivers is that of Ingram Barge Company, who posts updates for its employees pretty much every business day. This one will give you a sense of what the tows are concerned about:
http://www.ingrambarge.com/barge_conditions.asp

For example, the 8/17/07 post contains the following entries:

Ohio River - Mile 827 & South: Paducah stage today is 16.1 ft

Locks and Dam 52 (Mile 938.9, Ohio River) the main (1200 foot) lock is scheduled to be closed for repairs from August 7 through August 13 and reopen for navigation traffic from August 14 through August 20, 2007. The main (1200 foot) lock will then again be closed from August 21 through August 27, 2007. During this period a repair crew will repair lock wall sheet piling cells and perform structural repairs to the miter gates. All traffic will be passed through the auxiliary (600 foot) lock during the closure 

Lock 52: 33 boats in the queue with 3 days of delay.

Lock 53: 2 boats in the queue with 2 hours delay.

Tennessee River: Operating conditions are normal.

Kentucky Lock: 2 boats in the queue with a 3 1/2 hour delay.

Kentucky Lock maintenance closure is scheduled for 16 of October through 8 November 2007. Traffic is encouraged to utilize the alternate route via lower Cumberland River, through Barkley Lock and Barkley Canal during this closure.


Coleen Barger
Calypso Poet
http://www.calypsopoet.net

Coleen M. Barger
Associate Professor of Law
UALR Bowen School of Law
1201 McMath Avenue
Little Rock, AR 72202-5142
mailto:cmbarger at ualr.edu
telephone: (501) 324-9957
web: www.ualr.edu/cmbarger