America's Locks & Dams: "A Ticking Time Bomb for Agriculture?"

The surface transportation system in the U.S. is central to agriculture’s ability to compete in domestic and world markets. The rapidly deteriorating condition of the nation’s lock and dam infrastructure imperils the ability of the waterborne transportation system to provide a service that will enable U.S. agricultural producers to continue to compete. Should a catastrophic failure of lock and dam infrastructure occur, agricultural producers—and consequently the American consumer—will suffer severe economic distress. This research analyzed and evaluated data and information that will illustrate this vulnerability at a micro level rather than the traditional macro level. Chapter 1, Lock Volumes/Values and Modal Splits for Future Flows, documents the following waterway-specific information: current freight flows, in terms of volume and value (2008–2010); future estimates of freight flows, in terms of volume and value; and modal split estimates for future freight flows. Chapter 2, Lock Operational Statistics and Wait Times, provides the following lock- and commodity-specific information: statistics for 10 years for total freight transiting locks; statistics for 10 years for agricultural freight transiting locks; and statistics on average wait times at six focus locks. Chapter 3, Lock Condition Information and Potential Modal Diversion Impacts, provides the following information: lock-specific assessments of current operational condition of the lock, cost of maintaining or upgrading the lock and dam to a proper condition, and locks most likely to experience catastrophic failure or severe impairment and with most significant level of potential impact on barge shipments; potential ramifications of a theoretical modal shift resulting from waterway closures, including changes in volumes and costs, by mode, by lock, and in total; and an assessment of the condition and capacity of the rail and highway systems to effectively accommodate potential increases in volume. Chapter 4, Economic Impact at Congressional District/Regional Level, provides the following information: impacts by Crop Reporting District and Congressional District; and profiles of mode use and costs for farmers, grain elevators, and soybean processors.