Proceedings magazine is a communication tool for the Coast Guard's Marine Safety & Security Council. Each quarterly magazine focuses on a specific theme of interest to the marine industry.
Issue link: https://uscgproceedings.epubxp.com/i/528099
15 Summer 2015 Proceedings www.uscg.mil/proceedings The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has a long his- tory of involvement in constructing, operating, and main- taining the nation's waterways infrastructure. In support of the navigation mission, USACE provides many information services, such as: • inland electronic navigation charts to vessel pilots, which consist of detailed information about the inland waters; • hydrographic surveys that ensure channels are main- tained to the authorized depth, estimate dredging and maintenance needs, and identify navigation hazards; • navigation notices to waterway stakeholders, which alert them of any projects, events, closures, and other activities that may affect navigation. Navigational Challenges Chart books and navigation notices have helped inland navigators safely travel inland waterways, and channel condition reports from hydrographic surveys have kept the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) charts up to date. However, with the vast increase in com- puting power and system interconnectivity, there is a rec- ognition that information infrastructure is as important as "hard," or traditional infrastructure, and that a robust infor- mation infrastructure is essential to safe, effcient, reliable marine transportation system operation. Additionally, traditional infrastructure faces a variety of challenges. For example, there is less investment in tra- ditional infrastructure due to declining budgets and the need to put resources toward emergency repairs. Therefore, channels and harbors are often not maintained to their authorized dimensions. Also, the resulting decreasing reli- ability of locks and other navigation infrastructure impedes goods transportation. Most waterways infrastructure (especially locks and dams) were designed and constructed many decades ago. Today's waterways needs have changed — there are larger and more powerful vessels, different types of cargo moving to differ- ent areas, and other changes that our hard infrastructure has not been able to adapt to. Climate change will also affect waterways, either from the direct environmental effects, or changes in the way waterways will be used in response to climate change. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers The future of navigation and 21 st century waterways. by Mr. Jeff lillyCrop U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Research and Development Center Mr. BriAn tetreAult U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Research and Development Center Federal Agency Involvement The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for a variety of waterways infrastructure. All images courtesy of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.