Water Infrastructure

What You Need to Know

America's inland waterways move approximately 20 percent of the coal for utility plants, 22 percent of domestic petroleum products and over 50 percent of the nation's grain and oilseed.

Manufacturers rely on this system of inland and coastal waterways to efficiently move freight.

The viability of the nation's waterway system is seriously challenged by aging locks and decades-old infrastructure, resulting in major delays that significantly raise costs and hamper the ability of manufacturers to grow their businesses and create jobs.

The NAM supports funding inland waterways at levels authorized by Congress, and believes a 20-year capital plan should guide future investments and improve project delivery. The NAM also advocates new financing approaches and a strengthened partnership between waterway users and the Army Corps of Engineers.