Corps of Engineers and Coast Guard urges boaters to stay off flooded rivers

(U.S. Coast Guard photo)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Coast Guard are urging people to stay off of flooded rivers.

Due to large amounts of debris, fast currents, unmarked submerged objects and other dangerous conditions, the U.S. Coast Guard are requiring recreational boaters to refrain from boating on flooded areas of the Mississippi, Missouri and Illinois River.

Rivers are unpredictable and dangerous in a flood. Even if someone has lived along a river his whole life, he shouldn’t assume it will behave the same way during a flood. It’s not a good time to be recreating on or near the rivers.

The U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers join in urging all citizens to keep safety uppermost in their minds, especially during this high water event:

• Watch the situation around you especially if you live or work in flood-prone areas.
• Stay in touch through the media for latest updates and warnings.
• Have a “what if” plan if you live or work in a flood prone area.
• Do not wade or swim or take recreation boats into river waters.  They are especially treacherous now.
• Turn around ... don't drown!" Never drive through floodwaters or on flooded roads.

 For more information, visit http://bit.ly/floodfight2013

Corps' officials meet with Illinois leaders to discuss low water operations

Leaders discuss current and future actions the Corps will take to
 maintain a safe and reliable navigation channel during low water.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley Division Commander Maj. Gen John Peabody and St. Louis District Commander Col. Chris Hall met with state and local representatives yesterday in Alton, Ill., to discuss current and future actions the Corps will take to maintain a safe and reliable navigation channel during low water.

The meeting, which was led by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), was also attended by Capt. Byron Black, U.S. Coast Guard commander of the Upper Mississippi River Sector, Rep. Jerry Costello (D-Ill.), Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.), Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon (D-Ill.) and river industry representatives.

"We've been preparing for this since early summer, which means continuous collaboration with our partners the U.S. Coast Guard and the navigation industry to help provide a safe and reliable channel on the greatest, navigable watershed in the world," Peabody said.

Peabody explained the removal of 890 cubic yards of limestone that began this week near Thebes, Ill., is just one phase of the action the Corps is taking to improve the navigation channel for the river industry. With the removal of the rock, Peabody said, the Corps' expects that restrictions on barges will not be necessary at this time.

"We remain cautiously optimistic that if we do have any interruptions, it will be short in duration as we continue to maintain a safe and reliable navigation channel," Peabody said.

The Corps also began increasing releases from Carlyle Lake December 15 to help provide the depth necessary for river commerce to pass Thebes before the rocks can be removed. The full extent of the releases is expected to reach Thebes by Dec. 24. This will provide an additional six inches of depth in this critical reach of the river. Releases will continue if needed until the river level increases through precipitation, or until Carlyle Lake reaches its winter pool elevation. With the additional release schedule, Carlyle Lake is expected to reach its winter pool level in approximately three weeks.

Peabody said the Corps is also looking at the possibility of additional releases from other reservoirs, if that becomes necessary.

During the meeting, Hall explained the dredging actions the Corps is undertaking and plans to continue through the low water. "The U.S. Army Dredge Potter has dredged more than 6 million cubic yards of material on the Upper and Lower Mississippi since it began operations in June."

"We will continue dredging problem areas, conducting channel patrols and surveys to keep commerce safely moving on the Middle Mississippi," Hall said.

For more information, visit www.mvs.usace.army.mil/lowwater. 

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UPDATE – Rock removal work underway on Middle Mississippi

The removal of 890 cubic yards of limestone from the
navigation channel on the Mississippi River near Thebes, Ill.
(Photo by U.S. Coast Guard)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers St. Louis District rock removal work is underway on the Mississippi River near Thebes, Ill.

Work began Saturday, Dec. 15, upstream of the Thebes railroad bridge. Low water on the river has allowed rock removal to be accomplished using excavating equipment. The progress of the excavation reduces the need for marine blasting, although that remains one of the options for permanently improving the channel for low water periods.

The U.S. Coast Guard is coordinating notices to mariners, and river closures are in effect for 16 hours on working days between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. each day during the rock removal, with traffic allowed to pass for eight hours.

The work will remove around 890 cubic yards of limestone from the water-starved river to reduce the risk for vessels in the channel during low water. The rocks are part of a large formation that impedes the navigation channel during low water. More rock removal is planned for later dates, but the work beginning Saturday will address areas that will have the most immediate impact on the navigation.

Removing the rock formations are one of many operations the Corps and U.S. Coast Guard are undertaking along the narrowing river to maintain a 9-foot deep channel for river navigation. Dredging has been ongoing since early July to preserve the channel, as well as continued surveys, channel patrols to keep commerce safely moving on the Middle Mississippi.

The Corps is in constant communication and coordination with the Coast Guard and the river industry as the drought has reduced water levels throughout the Mississippi River Basin to historic lows.

The Corps of Engineers is working with the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Missouri Department of Conservation to avoid and minimize impacts to the environment. The focus by both the Corps and the Coast Guard, Hall said, is safety during the operation. The Coast Guard has established a safety zone for the affected sections of the river. The safety zone will prohibit access to the river and affected areas along the banks on both sides of the blasting sites.  Safe public access to the work area is limited. Coast Guard, Corps and local safety officials remind anyone planning to be in the area to be aware of posted signage and respect private property.

Coast Guard, Corps and local safety officials remind anyone planning to be in the area to be aware of posted signage and respect private property. Be aware that places newly revealed by low water are unstable.  Signage and other warning notices may not be immediately visible since many were placed when the river was at a higher stage.  Approaching the water at any time should include a life vest.  When in doubt, don’t go out.

For more information, visit www.mvs.usace.army.mil/lowwater. 

Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/teamsaintlouis and Twitter: @Teamsaintlouis.

Corps releasing additional water from Carlyle Lake to aid Mississippi River traffic

Carlyle Lake is a multipurpose project located along the
Kaskaskia River in Southern Illinois providing flood damage
reduction, recreation, water supply, downstream navigation
and fish and wildlife conservation.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers St. Louis District began increasing releases from Carlyle Lake yesterday in support of safe navigation on the Mississippi River. 

Water from the lake will help provide the depth necessary for river commerce to pass Thebes, Ill., where rock formations pose a risk to navigation at -5 feet and below on the St. Louis gage. Carlyle Lake is located on the Kaskaskia River system in Southwest Illinois.

Carlyle Lake is one of few Corps reservoirs able to significantly capture water above its seasonal pool level to support navigation during the current drought. Maj. Gen John Peabody, Mississippi Valley Division commander, authorized all the lakes on the Upper Mississippi River system to hold an additional 10 percent above seasonal pool levels October 17 in anticipation of historic low levels on the Middle Mississippi.

Releases from Carlyle Lake began late Saturday, and will increase gradually to 4,000 cubic feet per second by Monday afternoon. The full extent of the releases is expected to reach Thebes by Dec. 24. This will provide an additional six inches of depth in this critical reach of the river. Releases will continue if needed until the river level increases through precipitation, or until Carlyle Lake reaches its winter pool elevation. With the additional release schedule, Carlyle Lake is expected to reach its winter pool level in approximately three weeks.

“With the Mississippi River watershed receiving less rain than forecasted, we are working to provide the water depth needed at a time when inches make a difference,” Peabody said. “We’ll continue to work closely with the navigation industry and our partners in the U.S. Coast Guard to keep the vital artery for commerce open.”

The releases are one of many measures the Corps and the U.S. Coast Guard are using in coordination with river industry to keep commerce moving during the drought. Additional measures include removing rock along the riverbed near Thebes, which is expected to begin this week. This work will provide a permanent improvement to the Middle Mississippi and will reduce risk to river traffic in low water. Additionally, dredging has been ongoing since early July, with the U.S. Army Dredge Potter moving more than 6 million cubic yards of sediment out of the navigation channel.

For more information, visit www.mvs.usace.army.mil/lowwater.  

Corps of Engineers to remove rock from Mississippi River channel

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Dredge Potter, dredging
 a section of the Upper Mississippi River, south of the
St. Louis Harbor.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced today the schedule for removing rock formations in the Mississippi River near Thebes, Ill., that pose a threat to navigation as water levels on the river drop.

The agency has awarded two contracts for rock removal work in a nearly six mile stretch of river. Newt Marine, Inc., of Dubuque, Iowa, will remove the rock formation upstream of Thebes; Kokosing Construction, from Fredericktown, Ohio, will remove the rock formation downstream of Thebes.

Work begins Saturday, Dec. 15, upstream of the Thebes railroad bridge. While final blasting plans are still being developed, full operations will begin early next week, with blasting to take place during daylight hours.  The U.S. Coast Guard is coordinating notices to mariners, and river closures are scheduled for 16 hours on working days starting Monday, Dec. 17, between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. each day during the rock removal, with traffic allowed to pass for eight hours.

The work will remove around 890 cubic yards of limestone from the water-starved river to reduce the risk for vessels in the channel during low water. The rocks are part of a large formation that impedes the navigation channel during low water. More rock removal is planned for later dates, but the work beginning Saturday will address areas that will have the most immediate impact on the navigation.

Removing the rock formations are one of many operations the Corps and U.S. Coast Guard are undertaking along the narrowing river to maintain a 9-foot deep channel for river navigation. Dredging has been ongoing since early July to preserve the channel, as well as continued surveys, channel patrols to keep commerce safely moving on the Middle Mississippi.

“The drought across much of the Midwest is making river navigation challenging,” said Col. Chris Hall, St. Louis District commander. “We are taking additional measures and are confident that we will be able to maintain a safe and reliable channel for our partners in the river industry.”

The Corps is in constant communication and coordination with the Coast Guard and the river industry as the drought has reduced water levels throughout the Mississippi River Basin to historic lows.

The Corps of Engineers is working with the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Missouri Department of Conservation to avoid and minimize impacts to the environment. The focus by both the Corps and the Coast Guard, Hall said, is safety during the operation. The Coast Guard has established a safety zone for the affected sections of the river. The safety zone will prohibit access to the river and affected areas along the banks on both sides of the blasting sites.  Safe public access to the work area is limited. Coast Guard, Corps and local safety officials remind anyone planning to be in the area to be aware of posted signage and respect private property.

Coast Guard, Corps and local safety officials remind anyone planning to be in the area to be aware of posted signage and respect private property. Be aware that places newly revealed by low water are unstable.  Signage and other warning notices may not be immediately visible since many were placed when the river was at a higher stage.  Approaching the water at any time should include a life vest.  When in doubt, don’t go out.

For more information, visit www.mvs.usace.army.mil/lowwater.