Calumet floodgate approaches face dredging after silt warning

The Army Corps of Engineers has scheduled dredging in the approaches to the East and West Calumet Floodgates at Wax Lake Outlet, following an August warning that heavy siltation could make passage unsafe at lower water levels.

In a September 8 bulletin, the Corps scheduled the cutterhead dredge Lady Diana to work from about September 10 through approximately October 20, 2026. The work covers the approach channels to both floodgates, with operations planned during daylight hours seven days a week.

The September notice says high-pressure floating pipelines will be used and marked under Coast Guard regulations. It calls for extreme caution around the dredging operation, reduced wake and passing arrangements before vessels proceed. Dredge personnel are to monitor VHF channels 16 and 22.

The earlier August 21 bulletin describes the navigation problem at the approaches on the Wax Lake Outlet side: accumulated silt could create unsafe conditions when water levels are lower. It is a warning about those conditions, not a measured clearance for a particular vessel.

The floodgates sit on Bayou Teche at approximately mile 5, on either side of Wax Lake Outlet, according to the September bulletin. The two notices concern that crossing; they are separate from the Atchafalaya Bar Channel dredging farther south.

Both notices remained on the Corps’ active navigation list when checked September 13. The September bulletin gives an approximate work period and directs vessels to the lockmaster for current information. It does not report completed dredging or certify that the earlier siltation concern has been resolved.

The sequence matters for traffic through the floodgates: the August notice identifies a shallow-water concern, while the September notice adds dredging equipment, floating pipelines and passing coordination to the approach.