U.S. Inland Waterway Modernization: A Reconnaissance Study, April 2013

(2013) U.S. Inland Waterway Modernization: A Reconnaissance Study, April 2013. Transportation, Department of

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Abstract

The Mississippi River system is of vital importance to the economy of the United States as it enables efficient movement of goods and services. Over the course of the last century, a network of federally owned locks and dams constructed and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) have facilitated commerce along the river. Many of these facilities have reached or even far exceeded their designed life cycle and rehabilitation and modernization is becoming critical to keep the waterways commercially viable. As the state of Iowa has a vested interest in a viable waterway commerce and transportation system, the Iowa Department of Transportation is examining alternatives to the USACE’s traditional approach to funding and implementing projects to help modernize and improve the inland waterway navigation system on the Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS). This study is intended to identify and discuss the viability of options available.