Transportation and Commerce

ORBA seeks to provide for safe, efficient, and dependable commercial navigation within the Ohio River Basin to ensure a competitive advantage for our goods in global and regional markets; sustain a water use system to efficiently and effectively support agricultural, industrial, and energy productivity by working closely with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other key partners and stakeholders.

The Ohio River Basin Provides

$43 billion

in commodities transported along the 2,582 miles of navigable waterways within the basin annually.

20 percent

of the nations coal-fired electricity generation capacity.

270 million tons

of coal, agricultural, industrial, and petroleum products are transported annually on the basin's navigable waterways.

130 hydroelectric

facilities on dams producing clean energy within the Ohio River basin.

35 percent

of the nation's waterborne commerce travels through the Ohio River and its 7 navigable tributaries.

500,000+ jobs

directly provided by the Ohio River and its watershed.

Commerce & Transportation Workgroup Highlighted Strategic Actions

Advocate

For for consideration of all (national and regional) benefits in valuation for USACE projects; For greater use of the integration and maintenance of publicly accessible, comprehensive data on usage of locks and dams; For removal and reuse/repurposing of outdated infrastructure such as abandoned rail lines to allow for waterfront development

Collaborate

With stakeholders to ensure for priorities that apply to the Ohio River Basin are represented in the most current Inland Waterways Users Board recommendations.

Facilitate

Regional collaboration to improve regional economic performance and competitiveness by creating an attractive land portfolio that develops a cooperative approach to attract industries that would use water resources, ports and terminals, and barge transportation.

More Information

Waterborne Commerce

Statistics Center

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WCSC is responsible for capturing information on vessels, tonnage, commodity, origin, and destination from vessel operating companies. This data and information is intended to assist USACE’s navigation mission by providing statistics used to analyze the feasibility of new projects, and to set priorities for new investments and for the operation, rehabilitation, and maintenance of existing projects. Users of the data include government agencies, private industry, academia, and the general public.

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Inland Waterways Users Board Annual Reports

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The Inland Waterways Users Board is an industry Federal advisory committee comprised of an eleven member Board that represents all geographic areas on the fuel-taxed inland waterways system of the United States. The composition of the Board also reflects a balanced industry focus, including shopper and carrier members from companies of different sizes and specializing in the transport of different commodities. The board's purpose is to make recommendations to the Congress and the Secretary of the Army on the priorities and spending from the Inland Waterways Trust Fund for construction and rehabilitation projects on the fuel-taxed system.

Workgroup Objectives

1) Ensure the inland waterways infrastructure is efficiently funded to consistently maintain authorized river pools and the economical transportation of goods on the inland waterways.
2) ensure the five-year growth trend of water-dependent industry, recreation, and commerce continually increases.