In the News

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

Bases are loaded, now what?

July 15, 2024   Marine Log

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Senate to kick off fiscal 2025 markups next week

July 13, 2024   Politico

The Senate will begin marking up annual spending bills next week, starting with three fiscal 2025 measures and overall funding totals for a dozen appropriations bills. Bypassing subcommittee markups, the full Senate Appropriations Committee will take up its Legislative Branch, Military Construction-VA…

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Holt Lock Facing Months-Long Closure

July 12, 2024   The Waterways Journal

LOCKS AND DAMS Holt Lock Facing Months-Long Closure   The Mobile Engineer District is moving closer to identifying temporary and permanent fixes to the monolith instability issue that forced an emergency closure of Holt Lock on the Black Warrior River in Tuscaloosa, Ala., June 22.   Cracks…

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Horizons: Tank Barges and the GIWW

July 12, 2024   The Waterways Journal

Stretching 1,200 miles between Brownsville, Texas, and St. Marks, Fla., the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) connects many cities, including Houston, New Orleans and Mobile, Ala., and the Mississippi River and its connecting tributaries. The GIWW most adroitly serves the expansive energy and chemical…

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Social Reel: A Farewell to Lock 3 (video)

July 11, 2024   Pittsburgh District, USACE

The lockmaster and three local residents say goodbye to Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, by plunging the handle of a blasting machine. After being in continuous operation since 1907, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District used explosives to breach the fixed-crest…

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Small Shipyard Grant Program distributes $8.75 million to 15 shipyards

July 10, 2024   Workboat

  C&C Marine and Repair photo The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (Marad) announced that it has awarded $8.75 million in grants to 15 small shipyards in 12 states through the Small Shipyard Grant Program. The funds will help shipyards modernize, increase…

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Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam (video)

July 10, 2024   Pittsburgh District, USACE

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District performs a controlled explosion to breach the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock,…

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Chickamauga Lock to temporarily close for underwater repairs (press release)

July 8, 2024   Great Lakes and Ohio River Division, USACE

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District has announced intermittent temporary closures of Chickamauga Lock between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. from July 15-19, 2024. No closure during this time will exceed four hours, and any overnight lockages will be finished by 7:00 a.m. During…

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