UA report: Arkansas waterways support more than 40,000 jobs

by Michael Tilley (mtilley@talkbusiness.net)

The five navigable waterways in or connected to Arkansas are responsible for more than 40,000 jobs in the state and generate an estimated $5.5 billion in revenue for the state economy, according to a new report pushed by the Arkansas Waterways Commission.

The “Regional Economic Impact Study of the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System (MKARNS),” was published for the commission in June 2024 by Heather Nachtmann with the Marine Transportation Research and Education Center (MarTREC) at the University of Arkansas.

Arkansas’ five navigable waterways are the portion of the Mississippi River that is the state’s eastern border, the Arkansas River, and the Ouachita, Red, and White Rivers, according to the commission. Of those, the Arkansas River provides a bulk of the economic impact to the state.

UA report: Arkansas waterways support more than 40,000 jobs

Arkansas Waterways Commission officials say the agency ‘needs to be recognized’

by Michael Tilley (mtilley@talkbusiness.net)

Arkansas Waterways Commission officials are concerned about the “small staff of two” getting lost in an organizational shuffle, but are optimistic that state leaders understand the need to protect a group that promotes and protects the state’s waterways.

The Arkansas Waterways Commission was established in 1967 and, for several decades, reported directly to the governor. However, during a state government realignment under Gov. Asa Hutchinson, it was placed within the Arkansas Department of Commerce.

The commission “is the sole state agency responsible for developing, promoting and protecting waterborne transportation in Arkansas. The Commission also promotes economic development for ports on the five commercially navigable rivers of the state: The Arkansas, Mississippi, Ouachita, Red, and White Rivers,” according to the commission.

Arkansas Waterways Commission officials say the agency ‘needs to be recognized’

Gains in iron, building material shipments push Arkansas River tonnage up 12%

by Michael Tilley (mtilley@talkbusiness.net)

Even with an 8.4% decline and 12.2% decline in August and September, respectively, tonnage on the Arkansas River totaled 9.282 million tons through September, up 12%, according to the U.S. Corps of Engineers.

Inbound shipments – those coming from off the river system – totaled 3.463 million tons during the first nine months of 2023, up 31% compared with the same period in 2022. Outbound shipments in the first nine months totaled 3.111 million tons, up 6% compared with the same period in 2022. Internal shipments – those sent between port operations on the river – totaled 2.707 million tons in the first nine months, down 1% compared with the 2022 period.

September tonnage of 858,756 tons was down 12.2% compared with September 2022. August tonnage was 974,263 tons, down 8.4% compared with August 2022.

Gains in iron, building material shipments push Arkansas River tonnage up 12%