Federal funding for inland waterways decreased from $4.4 billion annually to $2.4 billion in 2013. There was a time when locks and dams on Alabama’s inland waterways were celebrated as massive engineering marvels that opened the state to trade and development. As many as 1,000 people attended the grand opening of…
Engineering Marvels Become Old Workhorses
Most of Alabama’s locks and dams are past their 50-year design life. But they’re not as ancient as other U.S. waterways, so they aren’t in line for federal funding.