In 2022, about 480 million tons of waterborne cargo transited America's inland waterways, a volume equal to roughly 14% of all intercity freight. These products, valued at over $186 billion, were shipped on the portions of our inland waterways system that generate revenue for capital improvements by a fuel user fee on commercial vessels.
Much of that tonnage travels through some of the 219 locks at 176 sites on the inland waterways system.
But the lock and dam infrastructure keeping the system moving is aging - 80% of America's locks have exceeded their engineered design life.
$16 in annual net economic benefits to the nation are generated by the Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works Mission for every $1 expended.
(Source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)
The Pittsburgh District is on track to open a 100-foot-wide navigation channel through the dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, PA this week – months ahead of the original December 2024 timeline. “After breaching the dam with controlled explosives on July 10, our…
Read More View SourceWith the snip of scissors and the blow of a towboat’s horn, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District celebrated the opening and renaming of the most modern lock on the Monongahela River after two decades of construction near Charleroi, Pennsylvania, Aug. 28. “Today, we’re…
Read More View SourceThe U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began constructing the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 4 near Monessen and Charleroi, Pennsylvania in 1931. The facility, commonly referred to as the “Charleroi Locks and Dam,” went through its first significant rehabilitation 31 years later, in 1963. The…
Read More View SourceThe U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, is hosting an open house at Lock and Dam 7 on the Mississippi River near La Crescent, Minnesota, Sept. 21. Corps officials are hosting the free event from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., to allow people to get a behind-the-scenes view of the site while…
Read More View SourceWith the snip of scissors and the blow of a towboat’s horn, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District celebrated the opening and renaming of the most modern lock on the Monongahela River after two decades of construction near Charleroi, Pennsylvania, Aug. 28. The ceremony celebrated…
Read More View SourceA boat gliding along the Monongahela River isn't out of the ordinary. The inland waterway is vital for commercial industry across the country — an asset the region's economy hinges on — so it's frequently a host to vessels shipping various commodities. But Wednesday morning,…
Read More View SourceWith priority legislation in front of Congress this fall, don’t miss the opportunity to make your voice heard. Corn growers need to act now in order to support some important pieces of legislation that are moving through Congress in Washington, D.C. The Farm Bill. The Next Generation…
Read More View SourceWhile the Chairs of the House and Senate Appropriations committees have said they intend to pass all 12 appropriations bills before the September 30 end of the FY25 fiscal year, time is running short for Congress to cross the finish line in time, which could portend another Continuing Resolution (CR) to…
Read More View SourcePoliticians, environmentalists, engineers and outdoor enthusiasts gathered Friday to kayak through the Highland Park Lock and Dam, a nearly century-old structure on the Allegheny River. Employees with the Pittsburgh District Army Corps of Engineers were on hand to operate the system and answer questions.…
Read More View SourceThe U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is accelerating the demolition of the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth in response to mounting criticism from Pennsylvania lawmakers, residents, and boaters who rely on the waterway. The dam removal and subsequent reopening of the channel were…
Read More View SourceDuring an August 19 public meeting of the Mississippi River Commission in New Madrid, Mo., navigation interests warned about the likelihood of a third year in a row of extreme low water, expressed the need for enhanced communication and suggested a revision to the way freight tonnage is calculated through…
Read More View SourceThe U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Memphis District has contracted with the Inland Dredging Company for the rental of a 24-inch hydraulic cutterhead dredge, attendant plant, and discharge pipeline for the annual maintenance dredging of 10 Mississippi River harbors this year. “The Memphis…
Read More View SourceInspecting means different things to various people. According to Merriam-Webster, inspecting means “to view closely in critical appraisal or to examine officially.” Building, electrical and plumbing inspectors assure what is being built, wired and plumbed meets local codes. Vehicle inspectors…
Read More View SourceRepresentatives from national publications and Chattanooga, Tenn., media outlets gathered at Chickamauga Lock at Mile 471 of the Tennessee River August 19 both to tour the old lock, which opened in 1940, and view the new lock, currently scheduled to open to navigation toward the end of 2027. The event…
Read More View SourceA member of the House Ag Committee says the U.S. government needs to ensure dedicated annual funding for the inland waterway system. Eric Sorenson, who represents Illinois’ 17th district, tells Brownfield… “I want to see this as part of the President’s…
Read More View SourceCHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- Members of the media received a glimpse of the upcoming replacement for the Chickamauga Lock on Monday. “By bringing folks out here today, we are raising greater awareness, showing the folks the incredible work that is being done by both the Corps of Engineers,…
Read More View SourceThe U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District hosted U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann (TN-3), Chairman of the House Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Subcommittee; U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn; and delegations from other senate and congressional staff at the Chickamauga Lock…
Read More View SourceStaff photo by Matt Hamilton/ Work continues Monday at the Chickamauga Dam. After first receiving authorization from Congress more than 20 years ago, a now nearly $1 billion replacement to the Chickamauga lock could be operational in November 2027. The lock at Chickamauga Dam is a chamber…
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Read More View SourceThe U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District is prioritizing the opening of a 100-foot-wide navigation channel through the dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, by August 28. The Pittsburgh District initially breached the dam using controlled explosives…
Read More View SourceMaj. Gen. Kimberly A. Peeples, commander of the Mississippi Valley Division (MVD) was promoted in an evening ceremony at the B’nai B’rith Club Wednesday night in Vicksburg. Deputy Commanding General for Military and International Operations, Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers…
Read More View SourceThe future of how inland waterways projects will be financed will soon be determined by a small group of senators and congressmen. They will be meeting this fall in what Congress calls a “conference committee” to iron out differences between two versions of the Water Resources Development…
Read More View SourceThe ceremony celebrates the culmination of a 20-year-effort by the district and its partners to build a modernized, larger lock chamber at Locks and Dam 4. Congress has renamed the facility in honor of the late Congressman John P. Murtha. The district began construction on the new lock chamber…
Read More View SourceWASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate unanimously passed the Water Resources Development Act of 2024 on Aug. 1. The Senate’s version of the bill, supported by Illinois Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, includes provisions for lock and dam improvement along the Mississippi and Illinois…
Read More View SourceIt’s common to hear talk on Capitol Hill about the need for infrastructure related to the three Rs: roads, rails and runways. But one critical “R” is missing: rivers. “That fourth ‘R’ carries far more tonnage far more efficiently, and…
Read More View SourceWashington, D.C.—The Senate unanimously approved its version of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2024, leading to the process of resolving differences with the bill passed earlier by the House. Supporters in both chambers say they remain committed to maintaining their years-long…
Read More View SourceThe U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District, in partnership with the contractor currently working on the Kentucky Lock project, Thalle Construction, celebrated a significant safety milestone with a ceremony, July 30. The event honored the achievement of surpassing one million man-hours without…
Read More View SourceCourtesy of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District The removal of Locks and Dam 3 is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Concerned about potential economic impacts created by shallow water levels at the Elizabeth Locks and Dam on the Monongahela River, a bipartisan group of lawmakers…
Read More View SourceThree years after the passage and signing of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), most of its funding is still unspent, and the inland industry “remain[s] frustrated with the pace of inland repairs,” said Spencer Murphy, chair of the Inland Waterways Users…
Read More View SourceTowboats are the workhorses of the inland river industry operating on the Mississippi River and its connecting tributaries. They come in all dimensions and horsepower capabilities for specific purposes. They keep barges marshaled and commodities moving from one place to another. They are the power in…
Read More View SourceA contractor for the Pittsburgh Engineer District blasted away the first portion of the Monongahela Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pa., about 7 p.m. on July 10. The explosive demolition, which was delayed for a few hours because of high wind and rough water, is the first of 14 scheduled to occur on a weekly…
Read More View SourceThe U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District said it is expediting the opening of a 100-foot-wide navigation channel through the dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, by August 28. On July 15, the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 staff near Elizabeth,…
Read More View SourceWhen people think of the Ohio River, they may think of a single, natural waterway traveling 981 miles from the Point of Pittsburgh to Cairo, Illinois. However, the river exists as part of the much larger and more complex Ohio River Basin, which urgently needs modernization. The Ohio River Basin…
Read More View SourceThe Senate on July 31 confirmed Army Maj. Gen. William H. “Butch” Graham Jr. as the next chief of engineers and commanding general of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III announced on July 10 that President Joe Biden had nominated Graham to the post,…
Read More View SourceWRDA 2024 Includes Key Investments in Ports, Dams, Waterways In a show of bipartisanship, senators voted to inject billions into the nation’s ports, dams and canals, passing a sweeping water infrastructure bill. On Aug. 1, the Democratic-led chamber easily approved its version of…
Read More View SourceFor the first time in two years, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers gave folks free tours Saturday. Just "locking" through! That's how 50 million tons of the goods and services you rely on, get from point A to point B. It all happens on the Tennessee River at the Guntersville Dam and Lock.…
Read More View SourceLegislation to authorize more than $6 billion for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers storm and flood protection, dredging and other water projects has passed a key marker, with unanimous U.S. Senate passage of a new Water Resources Development Act on Aug. 1. Read bill text here and section-by-section summary…
Read More View SourceThe Corps of Engineers Dredge Jadwin, its crew and its owners—the Vicksburg Engineer District—has been awarded the 2024 Western Dredging Association (WEDA) Annual Safety Excellence Award for a “dredging stakeholder.” The dredge’s master, Capt. Charles F. Ashley Jr.,…
Read More View SourceYesterday, just before the Senate departed for its August recess, the Senate Appropriations Committee marked up and passed unanimously by a vote of 28-0 the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Energy and Water Development (E&WD) and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. The bill includes $10.34…
Read More View SourceThe Pittsburgh Engineer District is moving up creation of a 100-foot navigable channel through the former dam on the Lower Monongahela River at Elizabeth, Pa. While the channel through the dam at the former Monongahela Locks & Dam 3 site was expected to be opened in December, the project’s…
Read More View SourceSENATE UNANIMOUSLY PASSES WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT (WRDA) OF 2024 Today, the Senate unanimously passed the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2024, also known as S. 4367, the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024. Senator Carper is Chairman of the Senate…
Read More View SourceWASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the EPW Committee, along with U.S. Senators Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Chair of the EPW Transportation and Infrastructure…
Read More View SourceCommittee unanimously approves Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies bill in 28-0 vote Committee unanimously approves Defense bill in 28-0 vote Committee approves Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies bill in 25-3 vote Committee unanimously…
Read More View SourceThe U.S. Senate on Wednesday confirmed Major General William H. “Butch” Graham Jr. as the 56th chief of engineers and commanding general of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Graham is currently serving as the deputy chief of engineers and deputy commanding general for civil…
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