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  • Automatic Identification System (AIS) Data Case Study: Identifying Unofficial Mooring Areas along the Upper Mississippi River

    Purpose: This Dredging Operations and Technical Support (DOTS) program technical note presents the results of a study undertaken at the request of staff from the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Rock Island District (MVR) as part of a larger effort examining the potential creation of seven new permanent mooring cells along the Upper Mississippi River in proximity to lock and dam (LD) locations selected by MVR. MVR staff were interested in evaluating vessel traffic and identifying unofficial mooring areas (i.e., waiting areas) in the vicinity of LD7, LD10, LD11, LD14, LD15, LD20, and LD22; they were also interested in travel times from those unofficial mooring areas to the destination lock. The search distance for unofficial mooring areas was limited to 20 miles from the lock, or the distance to the next closest lock if less than 20 miles, in the appropriate direction (i.e., upstream or downstream), as specified by MVR staff.
  • Automatic Identification System (AIS) Data Case Study: Vessel Traffic through the Yaquina Bay Breakwater at Newport, Oregon

    Abstract: The navigation staff at US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Portland District (NWP) asked for information on vessel transits through the two existing openings in the breakwater on the north side of Yaquina Bay in Newport, Oregon. Currently, no authorized federal channel passes through the breakwater openings; however, the design for a possible federal channel is under consideration. NWP staff were interested in historical vessel transits, with a special focus on isolating transits for the largest (i.e., longest) vessels, identified as vessels 80 feet or longer, currently utilizing the area inside the breakwater. The Automatic Identification System Analysis Package (AISAP) software created by USACE-ERDC (2018) was used to analyze vessel traffic.
  • AIS Data: An Overview of Free Sources

    Abstract: The purpose of this Coastal and Hydraulics Engineering technical note (CHETN) is to describe the sources of Automatic Identification System (AIS) data available to the public, with a focus on federal employees who may need AIS data to carry out their official duties. AIS data, in this context, refer to both real-time and historic vessel position information.
  • Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds awarded for vital New Madrid boat ramp repairs

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Memphis District awarded Graylee Construction and Demolition from Ward, Arkansas, a contract to rehabilitate and repair the New Madrid City Front Boat Ramp located on the Mississippi River at approximate River Mile 889. The city of New Madrid, Missouri, and St. John's Levee and Drainage District are partners on this vital project.
  • After 40 years on the water, a change of course

    After 40 combined years of federal service in the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, George Brkovich is retiring.
  • Regulatory Program facilitates environmental stewardship

    NASHVILLE, Tenn. (March 24, 2022) – Ever wonder what federal agency provides regulatory oversight of commercial and private development affecting wetlands and waterways? The answer is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which facilitates environmental stewardship through its Regulatory Program.
  • 2017 Hurricane Season: Recommendations for a Resilient Path Forward for the Marine Transportation System

    Abstract: In October 2017, the Coordinating Board of the US Committee on the Marine Transportation System (MTS) tasked the MTS Resilience Integrated Action Team (RIAT) to identify the impacts, best practices, and lessons learned by federal agencies during the 2017 hurricane season. The RIAT studied the resiliency of the MTS by targeting its ability to prepare, respond, recover, and adapt to and from disruptions by turning to the collective knowledge of its members. Utilizing interagency data calls and a targeted workshop, the RIAT gauged the disruptive effect of the 2017 hurricane season and how Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria affected the operating status of at least 45 US ports across three major regions. This report identifies recommendations to better understand how the MTS can prepare for future storms and identifies activities by federal agencies that are contributing towards resilience. Such actions include hosting early pre-storm preparedness meetings, prioritizing communication between agencies and information distribution, and maintaining or updating existing response plans. Recommendations also target challenges experienced such as telecommunication and prioritization assistance to ports and critical infrastructure. Finally, the report offers opportunities to minimize the impacts experienced from storms and other disruptions to enhance the resilience of the MTS and supporting infrastructure.
  • COVID Pandemic Impacts on the Maritime Community Discussed at PIANC USA 2021 Annual “Virtual” Meeting

    On April 22, 2021, PIANC USA hosted a virtual Annual Meeting for members and anyone interested in
  • Metrics for Assessing Overall Performance of Inland Waterway Ports: A Bayesian Network Based Approach

    Abstract: Because ports are considered to be the heart of the maritime transportation system, thereby assessing port performance is necessary for a nation’s development and economic success. This study proposes a novel metric, namely, “port performance index (PPI)”, to determine the overall performance and utilization of inland waterway ports based on six criteria, port facility, port availability, port economics, port service, port connectivity, and port environment. Unlike existing literature, which mainly ranks ports based on quantitative factors, this study utilizes a Bayesian Network (BN) model that focuses on both quantitative and qualitative factors to rank a port. The assessment of inland waterway port performance is further analyzed based on different advanced techniques such as sensitivity analysis and belief propagation. Insights drawn from the study show that all the six criteria are necessary to predict PPI. The study also showed that port service has the highest impact while port economics has the lowest impact among the six criteria on PPI for inland waterway ports.
  • PUBLICATION NOTICE: Hydraulic Analysis and Modeling of Navigation Conditions near the Mississippi River Bridges in Vicksburg, Mississippi

    Abstract: The River and Estuarine Engineering Branch of the Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory developed a two-dimensional numerical model of the Mississippi River near Vicksburg, MS, using Adaptive Hydraulics to investigate navigation conditions through the Interstate 20 and Old Highway 80 Bridges reach. A focus of the study was determining the Marshall Brown Dikes impact to velocities and navigation through the reach. Proposed dikes, focused on improving currents, were also tested to determine if they are a feasible option to improve navigability through the bridges. A second proposed alternative, a levee to protect the articulated concrete mattress (ACM) field, was also simulated to determine if flood damage to the ACM field could be successfully reduced without negatively impacting navigation. Velocity data from 2008 throughout the reach of concern were used for validation along with water surface elevation data from 2008, 2011, 2016, and 2018. The Marshall Brown Dikes were shown to have a localized impact on velocities near the dikes, but the changes to the velocity downstream near the bridge were negligible for all tested flow rates. Simulations of the proposed dikes did not result in an improvement to navigation conditions, but the proposed levee was successful in decreasing velocities and depths over the ACM field.