ITCS Memo# 2481 - Low Water and Ice

To: RIAC
From: RIAC Chairman
Date: 2/7/07
Subject: Low Water and Ice
ITCS Memo # 2481

To: ALL MARINERS
From: MSO St. Louis
Date: 2/6/07
Subject: low water and ICE
NAVNOTICE # 749

DUE TO LOW WATER CONDITIONS ON THE UMR, THE U.S. COAST GUARD SECTOR
UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER HAS ISSUED THE FOLLOWING SAFETY ADVISORY:
A. ST. LOUIS GAUGE READINGS ARE ANTICIPATED TO FALL INTO THE
EXTREME LOW WATER PHASE OF THE UMR WAP ANNEX BY MONDAY 12 FEBRUARY.
B. HEAVY DRAFT VESSELS ARE ADVISED TO MOVE OFF THE UMR IMMEDIATELY
DUE TO EXPECTED LOW WATER CONDITIONS BETWEEN UMR MILE 109.9 AND
185.0.
C. ALL MARINERS ARE ADVISED TO USE EXTRA CAUTION FOR PREVAILING
CONDITIONS AND REMAIN COGNIZANT OF TOW DRAFTS AS LOW WATER
CONDITIONS DEVELOP.
D. MARINERS SHOULD BE AWARE OF SHIFTING CHANNELS AS BUOYS ARE
ADJUSTED FOR CHANGING WATER LEVELS AND POTENTIAL SHOALING
CONDITIONS ALONG BUOY LINES.
E. HEAVY BARGES SHOULD BE PLACED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TOW TOWARDS
THE STERN.
F. MARINERS SHOULD USE EXTREME CAUTION WHEN TRANSITING NEAR
FLEETING AREAS AND TO TRANSIT AT THE SLOWEST SAFE NAVIGABLE SPEED
TO MINIMIZE IMPACT.
G. THIS SAFETY ADVISORY WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
LOW WATER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE.

DUE TO DEVELOPING ICE CONDITIONS ON THE ILR AND THE UMR, THE U.S. COAST GUARD SECTOR UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER HAS ISSUED THE FOLLOWING SAFETY ADVISORY:
SEVERE NAVIGATION PROBLEMS MAY BE EXPECTED THROUGHOUT THE PEORIA LAKE VICINITY FROM MILE 162.0 TO 180.0. NAVIGATION HAS BEEN RESTRICTED TO ONE WAY TRAFFIC BETWEEN MILE 169.0 TO 179.0. THIS IS TO ENSURE THE INTEGRITY OF THE EXISTING ICE TRAIL ACROSS PEORIA LAKE.
SHEET ICE MAY BE EXPECTED THROUGHOUT THE WATERWAY. THE CHANNEL MAY BE BLOCKED IN SOME LOCATIONS IF CONDITIONS DETERIORATE. ICE GORGES CAN MOST FREQUENTLY BE EXPECTED TO FORM AT THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS: MILES 86.5 TO 95.5 (GRAPE ISLAND TO SUGAR CREEK) AND MILES 127.0 TO 137.0 (LIVERPOOL TO COPPERAS CREEK).
ON THE UMR: LOCK 20 MM 343.2, LOCK 21 MM 324.9, AND LOCK 22 MM 301.2 ARE LIMITING TOW WIDTHS TO 70 FT. LOCK 26 MM 201.0 IS LIMITING TOW WIDTH TO 106FT. WIDTH RESTRICTIONS WILL BE LIFTED ONCE ICE CONDITIONS IMPROVE.
ALL TOWBOAT OPERATORS WILL BE REQUIRED TO ARRANGE THEIR TOWS SO THAT RECOUPLING DOES NOT OCCUR BETWEEN BOX END BARGES DURING A LOCKAGE. RAKE TO BOX ICE COUPLINGS SHOULD BE INCORPORATED INTO TOW CONFIGURATIONS WHEN ICE IS PRESENT AT THE LOCK.
MARINERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT BOUYS MAY BE UNRELIABLE DUE TO ICING CONDITIONS. ICE FLOWS RENDER REFLECTIVE MATERIAL INEFFECTIVE, AND MAY DRAG BUOYS OFF STATION AND SEVER BUOYS FROM THEIR MOORINGS.
EXPECT CONDITIONS TO WORSEN AS TEMPERATURES FALL.