Regional Economic Impact Study for the McClellan Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System, April 16, 2014-August 30, 2015.

摘要

The McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System (MKARNS), located in Oklahoma and Arkansas, contains 440 miles of waterway and is a crucial part of the United States’ transportation system. The MKARNS strategically connects the heartland of the United States with the rest of the world via the Mississippi River and Port of New Orleans. We investigate the regional economic impacts of the MKARNS in order to inform waterway stakeholders of the system’s value. Our study considers regional economic impacts from hydropower energy generation, USACE O&M expenditures, private sector investment expenditures, port activities, shippers’ activities, transportation cost savings, and recreation benefits related to the MKARNS. Our findings show the MKARNS contributes total impacts of $8.5 billion in sales, $4.3 billion in GDP, and 55,872 jobs to the national economy. The findings of this study will inform future MKARNS investment decisions which can result in sustainable growth in the regional and national economy.