Current and Future Trends for Resilient Inland Waterway Transportation Systems during Flood Disruptions

Abstract

Inland waterway transportation systems (IWTS) are crucial to the United States’ multimodal transportation network, facilitating the ecoefficient movement of significant freight volumes across a vast 25,000-mi network spanning 38 states. Despite their critical role in supporting national industrial, agricultural, and rural development, IWTS are increasingly vulnerable to flood disruptions, which pose significant operational and economic risks. This paper explores these vulnerabilities in detail, focusing on the resilience of IWTS to flood-induced disruptions. Our analysis reveals the multifaceted impacts of floods on IWTS, including direct infrastructure damage and broader socioeconomic effects on dependent communities and economies. A significant contribution of this research is developing a strategic resilience framework specifically for IWTS. This framework emphasizes adaptive strategies and integrates technical, organizational, social, and economic dimensions of resilience to enhance the IWTS’s capacity to withstand and recover from flood events. The study also identifies critical gaps in current research and practice, highlighting the need for IWTS-specific strategies that incorporate socioeconomic factors, leverage advanced tools, and apply interdisciplinary approaches to flood risk management. By considering IWTS within the broader context of climate change and aging infrastructure, this paper advances the discussion on transportation resilience. It offers actionable insights for policymakers, infrastructure planners, and the research community, calling for more detailed and integrated research efforts to guide resilient and sustainable IWTS management and policy-making. Ultimately, this paper contributes to the resilience and continuity of this essential transportation infrastructure against natural hazards.