Devils Swamp mile 0.5 Harvey Canal

none

Sunken boat visible in low water is unmarked.

Coast Guard and Corps work together to develop a plan to remove this hazard to navigation.

Coast Guard conducted site investigation and could not locate sunken vessel nor anyone who had knowledge of sunken vessel in the area. As of 1/18/01 (CLOSED).

GIWW Mile 0 - 5 WHL Harvey Canal

11367

Wreck and sunken barges adjacent to the navigation channel.

Coast Guard and Corps work together to develop a plan to remove this hazard to navigation.

Barges removed February-April 2000. Consider issue corrected. As of 1/18/01 (CLOSED).

GIWW Mile 10 WHL Crown Point

11367

Barges at Crown Point Shipyard extend into the channel. Channel is severely restricted and hazardous, resulting in one way traffic.

Require owners to keep channel clear.

MSO visited the owner and directed them not to have barges sticking out of their area into the waterway. If the situation reoccurs, the nearest MSO should be contacted immediately. As of 1/18/01 (CLOSED).

GIWW Mile 10.25 WHL

11367

Shipyard and dock lights.

Require owner to redirect lights.

Blinding lights and barges encroaching on channel observed. Shipyard owner reposition lights and MSO NOLA has verified. As of 1/18/01 (CLOSED).

GIWW Mile 12 WHL

11367

Blinding lights on lash fleet near Wagner Bridge.

MSO NOLA directed owner to redirect lights

Blinding lights and barges encroaching on channel observed. Shipyard owner reposition lights and MSO NOLA has verified. As of 1/18/01 (CLOSED).

GIWW Mile 32-35 WHL Larose area

11367

Numerous barges and vessels extending into the channel. Channel is severely limited when barges are loading or unloading at the loading dock west of the West Larose Bridge. Sunken barge at mile 35.

Require owners to keep channel clear.

Patrol by Coast Guard vessel found no vessels extending into the channel. As of 1/18/01 (CLOSED).

GIWW Mile 34.75 WHL

11367

Shipyard and dock lights.

Require owner to redirect lights.

June 12, 2000, Houma MSD personnel rode GICA member towboat and observed bright lights at North American Shipbuilding. Owner redirected lights. As of 1/18/01 (CLOSED).

GIWW Mile 36 WHL

11367

Shipyard and dock lights.

Request U.S.C.G. ride a tow.

June 12, 2000, Houma MSD personnel rode GICA member towboat and observed bright lights at Bollinger Larose. June 23, 2000, shipyard manager informed and asked to redirect or shield lights. Monitoring situation, as of 1/18/01 (CLOSED).

GIWW Mile 53-62 WHL

11355

Vessels extending into channel.

Require owners to keep channel clear.

Patrol by Coast Guard vessel found no vessels extending into the channel. Issue closed
pending new information. As of 1/18/01 (CLOSED).

GIWW Mile 54 WHL South bank

11355

Shipyard lights and offshore vessels' deck work lights.

June 12, 2000, Houma MSD personnel rode GICA member towboat and observed bright lights at shipyard. June 22, 2000, shipyard manager informed and asked to redirect or shield lights. As of 1/18/01 (CLOSED).

GIWW Mile 56 WHL

11355

Sunken barges on north bank.

Locate owner and remove sunken barges.

Patrol by Coast Guard vessel found no vessels extending into the channel. As of 1/18/01 (CLOSED).

GIWW Mile 59.5 WHL

11355

Blinding Lights at Quality Shipyard. MSO

As of 1/18/01 (CLOSED).

Port Allen Route Mile 25

11354

East bank has eroded leaving mud flat.

Install two buoys on east bank.

Surveyed area First Qtr. 2001. No problem found. Users report no problem in the area. CLOSED as of 8/13/01.

Port Allen Route Mile 41 Grosse Tete

11354

Bridge is in a bend and tenders usually wait until tows are In sight to begin opening.

Establish an approach point at which the bridge will be opened to provide a safe passage.

Coast Guard getting conflicting information from bridge operator and towing industry. Bridge operator is placing priority on automobile traffic, and opening bridge when tow is one- fourth mile away. USCG Office of Bridge Administration sent letter to Louisiana DOT. Continue to monitor problem. As of 1/18/01 consider CLOSED.

Port Allen Route Mile 57

11354

Shipyard lights blind both north and southbound tows near the Morley Railroad Bridge.

MSO New Orleans personnel directed owner to redirect lights. Owner redirected lights. As of 1/18/01 (CLOSED).

Port Allen Route Mile 43

11354

Lights at Jack Miller's Landing blind especially northbound at Verret Shipyard.

Owner redirected lights. As of 1/18/01 (CLOSED).

GIWW Mile 95 WHL Morgan City Bridges

11355

Southbound tows have difficulty in determining the correct track line from Conrad Point to the three bridge spans. U.S. Coast Guard made changes that have improved but not eliminated allisions with the bridges.

ATON QAT recommended removing Berwick Bay Bridge Danger Range Front LLNR 33570 and Range Rear LLNR 33575. CG to require bridge owners to place reflective material on fendering systems.

At September, 2000 meeting, GICA navigation representatives requested that ranges be left as is. These bridges are on the list to be considered for Truman-Hobbs funding. As of 1/18/01 (CLOSED).

GIWW Mile 98 WHL

none

Blinding lights reported at Spirit Dock.

MSO met with Swift Ships 2/20/01. Most items resolved, but asked that yellow filters be placed on some lights that could not be redirected. As of 6/12/01 CLOSED.

GIWW Mile 107 WHL Wax Lake Spillway

11350

The rock weir north of the GIWW has been removed. Industry anticipates increased current as a result and a return to the navigation problems experienced in the past.

Tows have difficulty judging current as they approach Wax Lake. And their set while crossing at night. Tows desiring to trip have no place to moor barges.

Day beacons should be placed on each side on the north bank.

DBN placed to allow vessels to judge current. As of 1/18/01 (CLOSED).

GIWW Mile 113-115 WHL

11350

Chemical dock has blinding lights.

Owners at Columbia Chemicals & Cabot Carbon Black Plant redirected lights. As of 1/18/01 (CLOSED).

GIWW Mile118 WHL

none

Blinding lights reported at Mobile Burns, Columbus Dock and Cabot Dock.

As of 6/12/01 update, MSO faxed bulletin on blinding lights to all companies. As of 6/12/01 (CLOSED).

GIWW Mile 131 WHL

11350

Petroleum dock on north bank has blinding lights. They are left on even when a tow is not at the dock and shine straight down the canal. Bad westbound. Some say the pipeline crossing at Ivanhoe Canal presents a greater problem.

Coast Guard patrol showed no problem. Lights are only on when barges are being pumped.

MSO personnel to ride GICA member towboat. As of 6/12/01 update, MSO faxed bulletin to all companies. As of 6/12/01 (CLOSED).

GIWW Mile137.5 WHL

none

Blinding lights south bank tank battery.

As of 6/12/01 update, MSO faxed bulletin to all companies. As of 6/12/01 (CLOSED).

GIWW Mile 137 - 138 WHL

11350

1995 problem of exposed wellheads unmarked. Per 5/15/00 mtg, unable to identify.

Need specific info from GICA on which private aids are not operating properly.

As of 6/18/01, wells are lighted and protected by piling clusters, per reports from Cenac vessels. No need for further action at this time. As of 6/18/01 (CLOSED).

GIWW Mile 146 WHL Bayou Petite Anse

11350

Shoaling on north and south side. Worse on the southwest side.

Mark 12-foot contour to define channel.

October 1995, reported to Corps. January 1999 surveys show 175' of 12' water. October, 2000, transfer to Coast Guard list. As of 1/18/01 (CLOSED).

GIWW Mile 157 WHL Intracoastal City

11350

Numerous shore lights interfere with night vision of pilots. Westbound tows cannot see shrimp boats tied at docks. Shallow water on the south side requires running close to those boats. Eastbound tows are also hard to see.

Coast Guard patrol showed no problem. Currently awaiting ride on GICA member towboat. As of 6/12/01 update, MSO faxed bulletin to all companies. As of 6/12/01 (CLOSED).

Vermillion River/GIWW Mile 159 Intersection

11350

All four corners have eroded and created wide flats. Channel edge hard to determine.

ATON QAT recommended 2 lighted green aids.

Buoys placed Oct 1999. As of 1/18/01(CLOSED).

GIWW Mile 170 WHL

11348

Plant has blinding lights.

Coast Guard patrol showed no problem. Towboat captain reports problem still exists, making lining up with the bridge very difficult.

Currently awaiting ride on GICA member towboat. As of 6/12/01 update, MSO faxed bulletin to all companies. As of 6/12/01 (CLOSED).

GIWW Mile193 WHL

none

The lights at mile 193 are coming from the Talens Fueling facility. MSD Lake Charles has verified the problem is not from the dock lights but from transient vessels. He said he will post a notice at the facility asking mariners to extinguish their bright deck lights at night or control them so they don't affect the GIWW.

As of 1/18/01 (CLOSED).

GIWW Mile 220 WHL Creole Bridge

11348

Creole Bridge fendering is more vulnerable to impact due to bank erosion.

Require Creole Bridge owner to install lights on bridge fenders.

October 2000, reported to the Coast Guard. LDOTD plans to attach reflective markers to the corners of the bulkhead to assist mariners in locating the bulkhead. The lights on the bridge mark the limits of the navigation channel and will remain the same. Additionally, we have requested that the damage to the bulkhead caused last July be repaired. Damages repaired and reflective markers installed 4/01. As of 6/12/01 (CLOSED).

GIWW Mile 289 WHL

none

Background lighting behind bridge at West Port Arthur. Problems with bridge and fendering lights on West Port Arthur Bridge. Fendering system on bridge rebuilt and fendering lights installed.

As of 1/18/01 mtg (CLOSED).

GIWW Mile 306 WHL South Bank

11331

Blinding lights.

October 1997, reported to the U.S.C.G. Lights redirected by owner. As of 1/18/01 mtg (CLOSED).

GIWW Mile 306.5 WHL North Bank

11331

Unmanned plant/facility has numerous blinding lights.

07/08/93 TWOA letter sent to MSO Port Arthur. Owner redirected lights. As of 1/18/01 (CLOSED).

Houston Ship Channel

11326

Numerous locations of glaring and bright lights.

Blinding lights at Sterling Chemical, Texas City and Seawolf Park redirected.

MSU Galveston has an ongoing project to systematically tape and show owners how their lights hinder navigation. GICA members need to report blinding lights! As of 1/18/01 (CLOSED).

Houston Ship Channel

11326

Inadequate marking on upper reaches of Houston Ship Channel.

At September 14, 2000 meeting, GICA navigation representatives decided that 2 buoys were needed, one gated with Beacon 102 and one with Beacon 97.

As of 1/18/01 (CLOSED).

GIWW Mile 357 WHL Galveston Causeway Railroad Bridge

11322

Bridge fender system inadequate for intended purpose. Ineffective fender system results in damage to weak components and exposed concrete presents hazard to barges.

Find a permanent solution to a historically unsafe situation.

Bridge is on fast track for replacement under Truman-Hobbs. TxDOT installed warning signs for recreational boaters. Official "Order to Alter" sent per Congress, to Galveston County Second Qtr. 2001.

TWOA rejected the use of full time helper boat. COTP is still seeking temporary solution and is considering some type of regulated navigation area. As of 1/18/01 (CLOSED).

Mile 363 - 374 WHL

11322

Very rapid erosion of the islands on the south side of the GIWW is occurring in this area.

Until the Corps can reestablish the south bank, additional green buoys are needed.

OAN developing project to place 9 new cans along this route. Buoys placed July 2001. CLOSED as of 8/13/01

GIWW Mile 393.5 WHL North bank

11322

Offshore supply vessels turn on blinding stern deck work lights and blind mariners in the GIWW. Deck work lights are on when work is not in progress. Vessels often extend into channel.

MSO Galveston to document problem and present to OSV operators. As of 1/18/01, consider (CLOSED).

MSU Galveston has an ongoing project to systematically tape and show owners how their lights hinder navigation. GICA members need to report blinding lights!

GIWW Mile 395 WHL

11322

Blinding lights reported on Surfside Bridge and Supply Boats.

MSO Supply Boats @ OSCA Dock. Industry to report if problem continues. MSO is addressing this issue per 1/18/01 meeting. As of 1/18/01, consider (CLOSED).

MSU Galveston has an ongoing project to systematically tape and show owners how their lights hinder navigation. GICA members need to report blinding lights!

Mile 465 - 471.5 WHL

11319

GIWW is difficult to distinguish east of the "towers."

More red buoys are needed to the east of the "towers" until GIWW is relocated.

New buoys established Nov 1999. As of 1/18/01 (CLOSED).

GIWW Mile 473 - 474 WHL Port O'Connor

11319

Numerous floodlights for fishing and also supply boats flood lights.

Tesoro Coastwide Services Company acquired the property and removed the floodlights. As of 1/18/01 CLOSED.

GIWW Mile 475 - 492 WHL

11319 and 11315

GIWW channel is difficult to distinguish because the adjacent area is shallow and wide.

The dayboards in this reach are placed too far away from the channel and are too few. Red buoys should be established on the channel edge no more than ½ mile apart.

Day beacons placed. Want day beacons every 1 mile on North Bank, per 1/18/01 meeting. Day beacons placed on North Bank, March 2001. CLOSED as of 8/13/01.

GIWW Mile 504 - 505 WHL

11315

One mile between ATONs. Very difficult for westbound tows trying to regain channel alignment after the 504 bend.

Establish red ATON west of 504 bend.

Placed additional buoy at MM 504.8. CLOSED.

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