Climate Impacts on Lock Use and Performance

It is the policy of the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to integrate climate change preparedness and resilience planning and actions in all activities for the purpose of enhancing the resilience of built and natural water-resource infrastructure (USACE Climate Preparedness and Resilience Policy Statement 2014).” Moreover, “climate impacts will affect departments of transportation (DOT's) strategic goals of safety, state of good repair and environmental sustainability (United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) Climate Adaptation Plan 2014).” DOT Modal Administrations specified by Ensuring Transportation Infrastructure and System Resilience include Maritime Administration (MARAD) and the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation which works to integrate Climate Change Adaptation with Planning, Engineering and Maintenance, Lock Operations and Marine Services. The United States (US) Global Change Research Program National Climate Assessment (2014) defines Transportation Sector components that are increasingly vulnerable to Climate Change, including fixed node infrastructure (ports), fixed route infrastructure (locks, canals/channels), and vehicles (ships, barges). Inland waterways may experience greater floods due to changing land-use patterns and precipitation, drought can lower vessel drafts, and less ice on navigable waterways could increase seasonal windows for passage. The goal of this project would be to provide guidance related to Climate Change for Maritime Transportation Research and Education Center (MarTREC).

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Completed
• Funding: $127805
• Sponsor Organizations:

  University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

  Department of Industrial Engineering
  Fayetteville, AR  United States  72701

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Start Date: 20160701
• Expected Completion Date: 20180817
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Barge operations; Channels (Waterways); Climate change; Environmental impacts; Inland waterways; Locks (Waterways); State departments of transportation
• Subject Areas: Environment; Marine Transportation; Planning and Forecasting;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01604615
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Maritime Transportation Research and Education Center
• Files: UTC, RIP
• Created Date: Jul 6 2016 3:29PM