Maintaining the Mississippi River navigation channel ahead of the fall harvest (VIDEO)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, is actively maintaining the Mississippi River navigation channel ahead of the fall harvest to provide a safe, reliable navigation channel for the navigation industry to move the grains grown in the Upper Midwest to markets across the nation and globe.

America’s extensive maritime system supports an estimated $4.6 trillion of economic activity annually and it accounts for the direct employment of more than 23 million Americans.

In addition to serving as a supply chain provider through its navigation mission, USACE also relies upon navigation as a critical element in its own supply of construction materials and other goods.

The USACE Climate Adaptation Plan identifies priority actions to protect this critical supply line as the climate continues to change.

Transportation by barge is much more fuel-efficient than competing modes of transport, making it better for the environment, human health, and the climate.

A recent study found that barge transportation emits only 70% of the carbon dioxide on a per-ton-mile basis compared to shipping by rail, and only 11% of the carbon dioxide emitted by shipping the same cargo by truck.