ITCS Memo# 2486 - New Safety Advisory for Ice conditions on UMR and ILRr

To: RIAC
From: IRCA Chairman
Date: 2/8/07
Subject: New Safety Advisory for Ice conditions on UMR and ILRr
ITCS Memo # 2486

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 89FT. LOCK 27 MM 185.1 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.