American Currents

ACBL’s Daily River Conditions

Arkansas High Flow Conditions – Starting May 5th, various vendors were stopped and / or standing by until river conditions improve due to high flows on the Arkansas River. As of May 13th, there has been local movement on the river, but the river continues to be shut down. Expecting traffic to resume by the end of this week / beginning of next week.

San Jac / Old River Conditions – Due to flows in the area, various vendors and docks have experienced shutdowns from VTS since the night of May 3rd thru May 9th. As of May 13th, traffic is still backed up 24+ hours from the impact. Please contact your local dispatcher and / or sales representative regarding cancelation, make up, or alternative plans.

Lower Miss River Conditions – Due to the forecasted river stage and current operating conditions, ACBL has implemented tow-size restrictions varying across horsepower class. This reduction is expected to delay transit by 48-to-72 hours.

Highwater Upper Miss (UM01-200) Due to highwater Saint Louis south will create delays getting in and out of fleets and increasing transit times. There is also extreme drift in the river causing hazardous conditions. Currently there is a 20 percent reduction in tow size on the Upper Miss STL thru Cape both directions. Due to these conditions, our vessels will only operate daytime hours through Cape. These conditions are expected to last over the next week.

2025 Planned Illinois River Lock Port Closure – The closure of the Lockport Lock, River Mile 291, starting January 14th, 2025, through March 11th, 2025. The purpose of this closure is for the installation of the new Vertical Lift Gates, and sill & seal modifications and repairs. This closure will inhibit the ability to move barges from the Illinois to Chicago and Chicago to Illinois.

Tell City / Hawesville Delays (OR 729) – There are no local port service providers in the areas of Hawesville and Tell City causing delays for local docks receiving barges.

Hannibal Lock Closure (OR 126) – The primary chamber will be down for maintenance work from June 3rd to November 8th starting 06:00 to 23:59. The auxiliary chamber will remain open to navigation during that period, but there will be instances announced in advance where both chambers are closed for up to 12 hours to facilitate concrete placement.

Van Buren Bridge Closure (AK 300) – Work has been rescheduled again to start on August 16th and will last approximately 18 days. Traffic is expected to be cleared after the ninth day. Vessels will also be allowed to transit when the span is clear of equipment.

Bayou Sorrel Lock Closure (PA 37) – Daily closures Monday through Friday resumed June 26th, 2023, through October 30th, 2024, to facilitate guide wall repairs from 07:00 to 16:00. May 14^th 07:00 Passed 14 tows, in the last 24 hours, that averaged 6.26 hours of delay. LPMS is showing 6 tows waiting that have averaged 8.47 hours of delay.

Industrial Lock Closure (EC 0.0) – Lock was unavailable 06:15-08:12, then again 15:41-17:66 for bridge hours 5/7. Will continue to track delays until Demopolis opens and queue subsides. May 14^th 07:00 Passed 14 tows in the last 24 hours that averaged 27.31 hours of delay. LPMS is showing 21 tows that have averaged 31.28 hours of delay.

Bayou Boeuf Closure (WC 94) – Permanent repairs are expected to begin in approximately by the end of May with daily closures Monday thru Friday from 07:00 to 18:00. There will be two additional 83-hour closures during that 30-day window with dates to be determined.

Calcasieu Lock Closure (WC 238) – There will be weekday daytime closures starting May 13th thru May 31st from 06:00 to 18:00 to complete repairs prior to hurricane season.

Brazos Lock Closure (WC 401) – Weekday closures 07:00-19:00 starting August 31^st, 2023, through October 2024. CORPS has suspended daytime closures and restricted night time transits due to high flows. Project was unavailable 04:05 – 08:03 5/13. LPMS is not showing any transits since 18:13 5/13. May 13^th 07:00 Passed 17 tows, in the last 24 hours, that averaged 43.51 hours of delay. LPMS is showing 2 tows waiting that have averaged 98.93 hours of delay. Brazos remains on restrictions allowing 1 load or 1 empty to transit, and traffic will be halted at night.
Note – LPMS does not have the queue below entered in their delays. At 08:00, 14 MAY 2024:
- 33 Tows and 66 Barges East Bound
- 36 Tows and 72 Barges West Bound

Demopolis Lock Closure (WT 213) – Closed to traffic for emergency repairs starting January 16th. Repairs are expected to complete by May 22nd but may linger thru May 30th.
- Barge loadings below the closure to go north, or above the closure where the empty is typically sourced below, should be addressed with your salesperson as to cancelation, make up, or alternative plans. Barge loadings that are serviced from unloads above will continue. However, we are experiencing delays getting empties positioned and loads picked up, and delays up to two weeks are possible.

Norfolk Southern Bridge Outage (WT 267) – There was an unexpected outage due to issues occurring during a planned maintenance period on March 28th. Repairs began April 4th with openings to traffic from 09:00 to 11:00 and 16:30 to 18:30. There is an additional 48-hr outage to occur during the second week of May; exact dates are to be determined.

Legend