Nightly Nuance - July 19, 2021

Today kicks off our Infrastructure in Real Life series! While the first main episode of the show will drop tomorrow at our usually Tuesday time, we're starting the party early here on Patreon. You'll be getting to learn from our contributors and enjoy full cuts of some of the interviews we did with infrastructure experts. We know you're gonna love it. First up is Courtney! -Alise

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Hello my friends! This is Courtney for the Nightly Nuance. I was so honored to be chosen as one of the contributors for the summer infrastructure series. I am a farm wife and mother of four from central Illinois. Today I am sharing an area of infrastructure that is often overlooked, but very important to our overall economy and especially agriculture: inland waterways.

The infrastructure required for inland waterways involves locks and dams that allow barges and tugboats to pass through changes in elevation along waterways. It also includes dredging to remove silt from rivers to keep them deep enough for freight vessels to navigate.

Waterways are great at moving bulk freight long distances. They are very cost effective, fuel efficient, and environmentally friendly.  This makes them the preferred method for moving commodities like corn, wheat, and soybeans. Moving commodities via waterways is a major reason our grains are competitive in global markets.

Unfortunately, our locks and dams are in dire need of upgrades and replacements. Most of our locks were built in the 1930s and are currently 20 to 40 years past their design life. The American Society of Engineers gives our waterways a grade of D+ in their 2021 Infrastructure Report Card.

Take a listen to hear more about how our waterway infrastructure is currently funded, especially compared to other forms of freight transportation, and some possible changes that could improve user investment. Thanks for being here and thinking deeply about all aspects of our nation’s infrastructure! -Courtney

Graphic: Freight capacity comparison of barge, rail, and truck “Inland Waterway Navigation: Value to the Nation”. 2000. US Army Corps of Engineers “Importance of Inland Waterways to US Agriculture.” 2019. US Department of Agriculture. Get bonus content on Patreon

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