Notice to Navigators: Upper Mississippi River
UPDATE- RIAC UM172 river closure today 19MAR 0900-1400
As of 0700 this morning, today’s (19MAR) 0900 to 1400 closure is scheduled to occur.
Bernie Heroff
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RIAC UM172 river open today 18MAR
0900 update today 18MAR
Raining at the job site, the river closure for today is cancelled.
Next tentative closure tomorrow 19MAR 0900-1400
60% chance of rain tomorrow, update about 0715 tomorrow.
Sunday looks clear, this work is scheduled for 7 days a week if the weather is cooperative
Bernie Heroff
Port Captain Navigation/Training
ARTCo – Ag Services and Oilseeds
American River Transportation Co., LLC
P.O. Box 2889
Saint Louis, MO 63111
t 314 481 8828 / m 314 803 4644
3/18/22 UPDATE: RIAC UM172 potential daily closures 17MAR to 18APR Ameren
For now this is still a go for 0900 today 18MAR, closure to 1400
If/when that changes I should be able to get the word out quickly
Bernie Heroff
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3/16/22 UPDATE: RIAC UM172 potential daily closures 17MAR to 18APR Ameren
Today’s update is still Friday.
However, if it is raining on Friday at the worksite (the current forecast), the first closure will be Sat 19MAR instead.
They don’t work on the steel towers when it is raining.
Bernie Heroff
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3/15/22 UPDATE: RIAC UM172 potential daily closures 17MAR to 18APR Ameren
Today’s update:
Still working through getting the power shut down and re-routed for the old lines that are to be removed.
At this point it looks like Friday will be the first 0900-1400 closure of the channel.
Bernie Heroff
3/14/22 UPDATE: RIAC UM172 potential daily closures 17MAR to 18APR Ameren
Today the schedule moved forward, there is a good chance the first 0900 to 1400 closure will be this Thursday 17MAR.
They are turning off the power on the old lines tomorrow morning. Then mariners may see a helicopter flying near the towers or across the river moving personnel, they won’t be pulling anything across the river.
Bernie Heroff
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UPDATE: RIAC UM172 potential daily closures 18MAR to 18APR Ameren
Today’s best guess is for this work to start next Fri 18MAR or Saturday, leaning Saturday
Bernie Heroff
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UPDATE: RIAC UM172 potential daily closures 15MAR to 18APR Ameren
Today’s best guess is for this work to start next Tues 15MAR or Wednesday, leaning Wednesday
Bernie Heroff
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UPDATE: RIAC: UM172 potential daily closures 12 MAR to 18 APR Ameren
At this time the best guess for starting these daily five hour river closures is Monday 14MAR. Ameren is updating me daily of their plans. I will update if that start date changes.
If you are curious about the project, there is more information here: Metro South Interactive Map (metrosouthreliabilityprojectresources.com)
Bernie Heroff
Port Captain Navigation/Training
ARTCo – Ag Services and Oilseeds
American River Transportation Co., LLC
P.O. Box 2889
Saint Louis, MO 63111
t 314 481 8828 / m 314 803 4644
_______________________________________________
Some details on these planned closures for UM172 (BNM bottom of this email):
Ameren is taking down a highline crossing at UM172 and putting up new, higher capacity lines slightly upstream. This will require a helicopter to pass over the river 32 times removing the old lines and installing the new. They are tentative at this time to shut off the power for this crossing on 10MAR, then after 2 to 4 days of preparation, start closing the river daily from 0900 to 1400 every day that the weather allows the helicopter to work safely. I will send an email to the RIAC list every morning by 0715 to share the go/no go status for closure that day. And an update when the work is done for the day. If the weather is good (low winds) they will probably be able to do more than one pull in a day. It would probably make sense for lock 27 to prioritize downbound lockages between midnight and 0600 each morning to help those tows that are downbound going through St Louis to get below UM172 before the potential 0900 closures.
Old lines yellow, new lines red:
Bernie Heroff
Port Captain Navigation/Training
ARTCo – Ag Services and Oilseeds
American River Transportation Co., LLC
P.O. Box 2889
Saint Louis, MO 63111
t 314 481 8828 / m 314 803 4644