Implications of Systems Analysis to Inland Navigation

The demands now placed upon inland navigation as a mode of transportation necessitates that the analyst be cognizant of the interrelationship of the system's component parts. This pertains to navigation as a portion of the transportation system, as well as each lock, harbor and channel improvement as a component part of the system of navigation. One method by which this analysis can be accomplished is through the simulation of the navigation system. To properly conduct such a study, however, the analyst must accurately identify and represent the charateristics of the navigation system which he proposes to simulated. These characteristics must include: (1) the physical waterway itself; (2) the characteristics of the towboat industry; and (3) the waterborne commerce and towboat itineraries which are expected to utilize the waterway over the life of the project. Unless these factors are accurately represented, serious and costly errors in navigation construction could occur.