Port hears about damage at Bayou Chene site

A barge tow struck the Bayou Chene flood protection construction site last week, causing “significant” damage, a U.S. Coast Guard representative told the Morgan City Harbor and Terminal District during its monthly meeting Monday.
According to Lt. Cmdr. Zach Robertson of Marine Safety Unit-Morgan City, the incident happened late last week.
“The incident is still under investigation,” he told port commissioners. “Our teams are still working on it, but initial reports show probably $250,000 to $350,000 in damage from that strike, and it’s going to delay that project further.”
He said no workers were at the construction site at the time of the incident.
Robertson said the Coast Guard has been working with the maritime industry to come up with ways to avoid other collisions with the project. He said increased navigation restrictions have been implemented in the area.
“We’re obviously concerned about how long it’s taking for this project to be completed,” Robertson said. “We know that it’s going to protect five parishes, and it’s really critical to this area that the project get done.”
The St. Mary Parish Levee District has scheduled a virtual meeting Wednesday to give an update on these restrictions.
In other navigation matters at Monday’s meeting, Tim Connell of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reported the Jadwin dredge has completed work at Stouts Pass. However, post-work survey results have shown a substantial amount of dredged material has returned.
“Stouts Pass is a problem,” he said.
Connell said the Corps is beginning to study whether using nearby Little Island Pass instead of spending lots of money dredging Stouts Pass is a better alternative. He said a study would take no more than a year, and there would have to be discussion with those involved in the process, such as the Coast Guard.
“Similar to what needed to be done at Crewboat Cut when they did the change in the channel down there,” Connell said of the type of project this would be. “So it’s not going to be a fast process.”
He said he thought it would require congressional approval, too, since Stouts Pass is the Atchafalaya River’s official navigational channel.
Further down river, Connell reported that dredging of Crewboat Cut as well as Atchafalaya Bay and Bar have been further delayed until late July.
“When they were delaying initially, it was welcomed news, but this is not particularly welcomed news,” he said.
However, he said they will get through the delays.
Connell said surveys have shown “substantial shoaling” that will necessitate the contract be modified “significantly,” and it will hit more areas.
However, once the project is complete, the channel will remain open indefinitely.
“That’s welcomed news,” port Executive Director Raymond “Mac” Wade said. “We haven’t been opened since March of 2015.”
Looking ahead to next year, the port has been allocated $16.3 million in President Joe Biden’s budget for the 2022 fiscal year for the Atchafalaya River, Bayous Chene, Boeuf and Black project.
“We were hoping for $8 million, and we get $16 (million),” board President Joseph Cain said.
Also during his report, Connell said that the Bayou Boeuf Guide Wall Replacement work completion date has been pushed back until the end of October, while the Berwick Locks will be closed from June 21-July 31 for repairs.