Hannibal Navigation Notice – primary chamber closure (Feb 20 – April 7 2023) has been posted
Navigation Notice: 201890
Date: 02/20/2023 06:00 thru 04/07/2023 23:59
1. To Whom It May Concern: Notice is given that the U.S Army Corps of Engineers Repair Fleet will be performing maintenance work on miter gates and the 110-ft x 1200-ft primary lock chamber at Hannibal L/D will be closed from 6:00 AM February 20, 2023, through 11:59 PM April 7, 2023. The 110-ft x 600-ft auxiliary chamber will remain open to navigation during this time.
2. Common terms: Some common terms in this notice include:
a. Primary Vessel: The vessel that is in control of the full tow.
b. Pull Boat: Vessel in queue designated by USACE to pull cuts from the chamber during self-help.
3. PROCEDURES FOR AUXILIARY CHAMBER OPERATIONS: The Corps will institute the following lockage procedure which has been developed in cooperation with the Waterway Association of Pittsburgh. Boat locking order will be determined by arrival time at Hannibal L/D, and all pilots should radio Hannibal L/D at normal arrival points. All tows must be ready to lock when added to the que. No adding or swapping of barges will be allowed once the tow’s lock turn has been established.
4. The Corps has installed a temporary tow haulage winch system in the auxiliary lock chamber to pull double cuts, as necessary. In an effort to reduce delay times, however, a program of "self-help" by navigation interests has been implemented. The "self-help" program will allow waiting towboats to assist tows out of the auxiliary lock chamber. The Lockmaster will designate the pull boats as tows arrive for position. It will be necessary for all towboats to monitor their radios 24 hours a day. Due to the location of the tow haulage equipment, tow configurations of less than 104-ft in width will require self-help.
5. During the closure of the 110-ft x 1200-ft primary lock chamber, tows should move to the closest mooring cell for staging prior to their lockage turn, rather than waiting at landings. It will be necessary for tows, under normal river conditions, to follow one another on the wall when a series of lockages are being made in one direction. Each tow in the series should be aware of the tow that they follow and be on the wall as soon as that tow enters the lock chamber. While this practice will speed up the lockage process, it is imperative that tows exercise extreme caution when encountering outdraft or backlash conditions.
6. Other specific procedures to facilitate lockage operations through the auxiliary lock chamber have been developed in cooperation with the towing industry. The Corps is asking for everyone’s cooperation and help in making the locking operations go as smoothly as possible during the closure of the primary chamber.
a. All lockages will require two locking lines, one on the head and one stern and must be available on each cut. Each line must be at least 75 feet long and 1-1/2” in diameter. To minimize locking time, all lines will stay with each cut. Lines will not be permitted to be carried from one cut to another.
b. Three deckhands are required during double-lockages.
7. Towboats are cautioned to use minimal power when exiting the chamber to avoid forcing debris onto the miter sill. This debris could prevent the miter gates from closing and require stoppage of navigation until the material is removed by dredging or diving operations.
8. If critical industrial shipments are essential to sustain continued operation, the affected companies should immediately contact the Waterways Association of Pittsburgh at least 36 hours prior to the scheduled lockage. Only the designated cargo or barges will be given priority unless stated in the request that all barges in that tow be given priority. They will review all requests for priority before submitting them to the Corps for our consideration. If it becomes necessary to prioritize lockages through the auxiliary lock chamber, the Corps will make the final decision concerning lockage procedures as conditions and situations change. In accordance with standard Corps policy, the Lockmaster may also vary the locking procedure in an effort to equalize waiting times.
9. Recreation boaters are discouraged from locking through Hannibal L/D, Ohio River, during this unscheduled lock closure. Recreation boaters will encounter extremely long delays since priority will be given to scheduled commercial passenger vessels and commercial tows.
10. Information concerning lockages will be broadcast by radio on Channel 13 (155.65 MHz) and any towboat not answering a call from the locks will be dropped to the end of the waiting list.
FOR THE DISTRICT ENGINEER
//signed//
Joshua J. Feldmann
Acting Chief, Operations Division
