The Mississippi River marks a meandering divide between the eastern and western United States. But, this mighty waterway acts as more of a connector than a divider for the nation, carrying goods in both directions along its 2,320-mile path from the top of Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico.
The US Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps) is responsible for providing flood control and maintaining commercial navigation; any supply chain disruption can have ripple effects on the country's economy. The Corps' Rock Island District operates 314 miles and 12 lock and dam sites on the Mississippi as well as 268 miles of channel and 8 locks on the dam sites on the Illinois Waterway - failure of any of the aging locks could result in hundreds of million dollars is loss and damages.
The utilization of GIS helps the Corps' chart and navigate the challenging waterways and help understand the most effective and efficient ways to transport cargo on our nation's waterways.
Key Article Takeaways:
- Constant monitoring through GIS, surveys, and sensors keeps barge traffic moving.
- Electronic charting gives river captains up-to-date information.
- River barge tracking allows the Corps to compare suggested paths with actual paths.
Read the full article here: Sensors and Systems Keep Mississippi River Traffic Flowing
