NAVNOTICE# 1205 - UPDATED WAP 05JUL08 1420 CDT BNM NR 0270-08 UM

To: ALL MARINERS
From: Coast Guard Upper Miss
Date: 7/5/08
Subject: UPDATED WAP 05JUL08 1420 CDT BNM NR 0270-08 UM
NAVNOTICE # 1205

SUBJ: WESTERN RIVERS BNM NR 0270-08 UM
SAFETY AND SCHED BCSTS UNTIL CANCELLED
CANCEL WESTERN RIVERS BNM NR 0269-08 UM
USCG NOTICE TO MARINERS EIGHTH DISTRICT NR 0270-08 UM
SECTOR UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER ISSUES FOLLOWING SAFETY ADVISORY:
A. ST. LOUIS HARBOR (MILES 179.0 - 184.0 UMR) IS OPEN TO LIMITED
COMMERCIAL TRAFFIC. AN INCIDENT COMMAND POST HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED
FOR ST. LOUIS HARBOR TO MANAGE VESSEL TRAFFIC AND CLEAR THE VESSEL
QUEUE. ALL MARINERS ARE REQUIRED TO REPORT TO THE INCIDENT COMMAND
POST ON CHANNEL 8 OR BY PHONE 314 421-3575 BEFORE ENTERING ST.
LOUIS HARBOR. CHECK POINTS FOR SOUTHBOUND TOWS ARE AT LOCK 27 FORE
BAY, MERCHANTS BRIDGE, AND THE JEFFERSON BARRACKS BRIDGE. CHECK
POINTS FOR NORTHBOUND TOWS ARE AT THE JEFFERSON BARRACKS BRIDGE,
THE COAST GUARD PIER, EADS BRIDGE, AND LOCK 27 FORE BAY. ALL
VESSELS WILL REPORT THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: NAME OF THE TOW
BOAT, HEIGHT OF THE TOW BOAT, HORSEPOWER OF THE TOW BOAT, SIZE OF
THE TOW, NUMBER OF LOADED BARGES, NUMBER OF EMPTY BARGES, NUMBER OF
RED FLAG BARGES, AND FINAL DESTINATION. THE INCIDENT COMMAND POST
MUST VERIFY THAT EACH TOW HAS AT LEAST 5' OF CLEARANCE UNDER THE
EADS BRIDGE AND A PILOT ONBOARD WITH RECENT HIGH WATER TRANSIT
EXPERIENCE WITH SIMILAR SIZE TOWS THROUGH THE ST. LOUIS HARBOR
BRIDGES. ALL TOWS ARE LIMITED TO DAYLIGHT HOURS ONLY AND SHALL NOT
BE GREATER THAN 900 FEET, EXCLUDING THE TOWBOAT. ALL TOWS ARE NOT
TO EXCEED 4 BARGE LENGHTS AND THE TONNAGE MAY NOT BE GREATER THAN A
LOADED 12 BARGE DRY CARGO TOW. ALL NORTHBOUND TOWS MUST HAVE
ENOUGH HORSEPOWER TO MAINTAIN A MINIMUM SPEED OF 3 MPH ON APPROACH
TO THE BRIDGES IN ST. LOUIS HARBOR. ALL SOUTHBOUND TOWS MUST HAVE
AT LEAST 300 HP PER BARGE. ALL TOW BOATS ARE RESTRICTED FROM
CARRYING BARGES ON THE HIP. ALL TOWBOATS ARE PROHIBITED FROM LAYING
UP ON LEVEES. DUE TO THE HIGH NUMBER OF BARGES BEING HELD ON THE
UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER, MARINERS ARE STRONGLY ADVISED TO CONTACT
THE FLEETERS AT THEIR DESTINATION TO ENSURE SPACE IS AVAILABLE.
MARINERS ARE ADVISED TO ENSURE FLEETS ARE ATTENDED BY TOWBOATS AT
ALL TIMES, USE CAUTION IN PASSING/MEETING SITUATIONS, AND SHOULD
FAVOR THE CENTER OF THE CHANNEL.
B. THE FOLLOWING ZONES ARE IN THE HIGH WATER ACTION PHASE OF THE
UMR WAP ANNEX: ZONE 26 - 20 (MILES 343.2 - 457.1 UMR). MARINERS ARE
REMINDED TO PROCEED AT THE MINIMUM SAFE SPEED TO REDUCE WAKE DAMAGE
TO STRUCTURES AT MM 212 UMR.
C. THE FOLLOWING ZONE ARE IN THE HIGH WATER RECOVERY PHASE OF THE
UMR WAP ANNEX: ZONE 17 - 19 (MILES 437.1 - 410.4 UMR) AND ZONE 28
(MILES 109.9 - 185.4 UMR).
D. THE FOLLOWING ZONES ARE IN THE HIGH WATER ACTION PHASE OF THE
ILR WAP ANNEX: ZONE 1 (MILES 0.0 - 9.9 ILR).
E. THE FOLLOWING ZONE IS IN THE HIGH WATER RECOVERY OF THE ILR WAP
ANNEX: ZONE 2 (MILES 10 - 49.9)
F. THE FOLLOWING GAGES ARE IN THE
HIGH WATER ACTION PHASE OF THE MOR WAP ANNEX: ST. CHARLES GAGE
28.2 MOR, THE WASHINGTON GAGE MM 67.7 MOR AND THE HERMANN GAGE MM
97.9 MOR.
G. THE FOLLOWING GAGES ARE IN THE HIGH WATER RECOVERY PHASE OF THE
MOR WAP ANNEX: GLASGOW GAGE MM 226.3 AND JEFFERSON CITY GAGE MM
143.9 MOR.
H. DOWN STREAMING OPERATIONS ARE NOT RECOMMENDED FOR VESSELS
OPERATING IN THESE ZONES UNLESS THE VESSEL IS EQUAL TO OR GREATER
THAN 75 FEET IN LENGTH AND THE VESSEL HAS A MINIMUM OF 1800
HORSEPOWER. DUE TO HIGH RIVER LEVELS, DRIFT OF DEBRIS IS AN ISSUE
WITH NAVIGATION AND IT MAY DRAG BUOYS OFF STATION AND SEVER BUOYS
FROM THEIR MOORINGS.
I. ALL TOWING VESSELS SHOULD PROCEED AT THE SLOWEST SAFE OPERATING
SPEED BASED UPON PREVAILING CONDITIONS IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE WAKE
DAMAGE. ALL MARINERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ENSURE THAT MOORED VESSELS
AND BARGES ARE ADEQUATELY SECURED WITH THE ANTICIPATION OF
INCREASED VELOCITY AND HIGH WATER. COTP UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER
REMINDS ALL MARINERS TO USE EXTRA CAUTION AND TO BE ESPECIALLY
VIGILANT DURING ALL BRIDGE AND LOCK APPROACHES IN THESE ZONES DUE
TO SWIFT CURRENTS.
J. TO REDUCE WAKE DAMAGE TO LEVEES ALL RECREATIONAL TRAFFIC IS
PROHIBITED FROM TRANSITING FROM THE JEFFERSON BARRACKS BRIDGE MM
168.6 TO LOCK AND DAM 20 MM 343.2 UMR AND FROM MM 0 TO MM 24 ILR.