COLUMN OP/EDThe Gulf Intracoastal Waterway – A Silent Giant No More By Jim StarkThe recent enactment of the Wa- of the canal, bisecting its east and west reaches. Built in terways Resources Reform and Devel- 1921, it was on track for replacement as a deep draft lock. opment Act of 2014 (WRRDA) has However, with the closure of the Mississippi River Gulf brought a sense of optimism to inland Outlet Canal following Hurricane Katrina, the deep draft waterways mariners, operators and in- portion was no longer feasible and the non-federal sponsor dustries across the nation. Our inland withdrew its support. Now, the United States Army Corps waterways are poised for success, and of Engineers (USACE) is starting a General Reevaluation key to that success is the anticipated Report to determine the next steps for replacing the lock support provided in that bill. Of course, with a modern shallow draft version. This is a signi? cant follow on appropriations and carefully planned implemen- project, affecting east-west traf? c, as there is no alternate tation is critical to assure continued success of our water- inland route should the aging lock fail. ways system. One segment of that system, the Gulf Intra- To the west, the lock at Bayou Sorrel on the Port Al-coastal Waterway (GIWW) is growing in importance and len Alternate Route helps move traf? c from Morgan City, value to the nation. It stands ready to shoulder its share of LA up the Atchafalaya River to the Mississippi River and commodity traf? c, but like the rest of our inland system, it northward. A recent reevaluation of the project to replace also needs resource attention. this lock with a modern, larger design determined that Once referred to as the “Silent Giant,” the GIWW due to construction cost increases, a positive bene? t cost stretches 1,300 miles from Brownsville, TX to St. Marks, ratio no longer existed, preventing project authorization FL and carries over 115 million tons of commodities in a and funding from moving forward. Industry and Inland typical year. Initially built to provide a safe, land-locked Waterways Users Board representatives have asked the route from Texas to Florida, it has evolved through the de- USACE to reexamine the issue in light of the signi? cant cades into an essential route that links Gulf of Mexico ports investment in energy facilities and waterways growth we to each other; to re? neries and plants; and to the heartland expect to see. of the nation via the Mississippi River and other tributar- In Texas, the Brazos River Floodgates near Freeport are ies. In recent years, the GIWW ranked third among the simply outdated and not up to the task of safely and ef-major inland routes in terms of tonnage carried (Missis- ? ciently passing the unprecedented, record volume of tank sippi River and Ohio River were one and two). However, barge traf? c originating in Victoria, TX and moving east. the monetary and strategic value of the waterway is quickly Recognizing that to take full advantage of the GIWW’s growing as a result of the United States’ energy renaissance. capacity, the gates should be either replaced or removed, Consider that over 100 billion dollars is being invested the waterway’s non-federal sponsor, the Texas Department in energy related projects and infrastructure in southeast of Transportation, has undertaken an effort to accelerate Louisiana and Texas. These projects will rely on the safe, and fund the ? rst step in the process – a USACE feasibil-economical, ef? cient, and environmentally friendly mode ity study. These three long term infrastructure replacement of barge transport to move crudes, feed stocks and prod- projects, all important to future GIWW viability, have ucts along the coast and up and down the river systems. strong industry and non-federal sponsor advocacy, both Clearly, this means more towboats, barges, facilities and vital to success. WRRDA’s reform of the Inland Water-support industries will use the GIWW. Reliable infrastruc- ways Trust Fund and Capital Development Planning are ture is important to the waterway’s continued success – the bookends to this kind of advocacy and can help ensure and that’s why WRRDA and other initiatives are impor- infrastructure recapitalization. tant to the users of the GIWW. Authorization and funding Equally important, USACE needs a properly funded for recapitalization of old lock and ? ood control structures Operations and Maintenance (O&M) budget for the is needed. GIWW. Keeping up with dredging, mooring buoy replace-For instance, the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal ment and maintenance, and lock and ? oodgate repairs are (IHNC) Lock in New Orleans sits astride the mid-point becoming more and more dif? cult as increasing traf? c October 201416 MNMN Oct14 Layout 1-17.indd 16 MN Oct14 Layout 1-17.indd 16 9/18/2014 3:25:20 PM9/18/2014 3:25:20 PM