NAVNOTICE# 1214 - High water advisory/Safety broadcast update

To: ALL MARINERS
From: Coast Guard Upper Miss
Date: 7/8/08
Subject: High water advisory/Safety broadcast update
NAVNOTICE # 1214

SECTOR UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER ISSUES FOLLOWING SAFETY ADVISORY:
A. ZONE 28 (MILES 109.9 - 185.4 UMR) IS IN THE EXTREME HIGH WATER
RECOVERY PHASE OF THE UMR WAP ANNEX. A SAFETY ZONE HAS BEEN
ESTABLISHED IN ST. LOUIS HARBOR (MILES 179.0 - 184.0 UMR).
SOUTHBOUND TOWS GREATER THAN 600 FEET IN LENGTH, EXCLUDING THE
TOWBOAT, SHOULD LIMIT TRANSIT TO DAYLIGHT HOURS ONLY. 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
MARINERS SHOULD ENSURE THAT A PILOT IS ONBOARD WITH RECENT HIGH
WATER TRANSIT EXPERIENCE WITH SIMILAR SIZE TOWS THROUGH THE ST.
LOUIS HARBOR BRIDGES. 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 - 22 (MILES 200.5 - 324.8 UMR).
C. THE FOLLOWING ZONE ARE IN THE HIGH WATER RECOVERY PHASE OF THE
UMR WAP ANNEX: ZONE 17 - 21 (MILES 324.9 - 457.1 UMR).
D. THE FOLLOWING ZONES ARE IN THE HIGH WATER ACTION PHASE OF THE
ILR WAP ANNEX: ZONES 1 AND 2 (MILES 0.0 - 49.9 ILR).
E. THE FOLLOWING GAGES ARE IN THE HIGH WATER RECOVERY PHASE OF THE
MOR WAP ANNEX: ST. CHARLES GAGE 28.2 MOR.
F. 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.
G. 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.
H. 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 22 MM 301.2 UMR AND FROM MM 0 TO MM 24 ILR.