Importance Of MKARNS Continues To Grow

The McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System (MKARNS) celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2021, and its importance has only grown since then. In his remarks at the formal dedication of the MKARNS in 1971, President Richard Nixon noted that cowboy comedian Will Rogers, mocking Oklahoma’s public spending at the time, said he could probably get a harbor built in the Verdigris River. That was considered hilarious satire at the time, but now it’s a solid reality.

The MKARNS system is considered “high-use” because it transports more than 12.3 million tons of cargo each year, according to an updated economic study completed in June 2024. This is the equivalent of 381,857 semi-trucks or 99,283 railcars. Its geographic reach is continually expanding north and west to enable more grain from the central plains to move by efficient and clean barges.

The deepening of the MKARNS is an important project that does not require dredging the Arkansas River’s entire length; many sections along the river are already at depths of 12 feet or more. Each additional foot of reliable draft will allow a barge to carry another 200 tons of cargo. With a consistent 12-foot channel, the Corps has estimated that its productivity will increase by 30 to 40 percent and could carry as much as 40-45 million tons a year.

As with every other waterway system, room for expansion on the MKARNS is almost limitless—provided the will is there to finance, support and sustain it.