Modernizing America’s Waterways

When Major General Jason Kelly reflects on his path to leading the United States Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) Civil Works mission, he doesn’t describe a straight line. He describes a journey, one that began “on the business end of the Army,” as he puts it, and evolved into a passion for solving complex problems that impact every American who depends on safe, reliable, efficient water infrastructure.

For more than two decades, Kelly served as a combat arms officer, leading soldiers and preparing for conflict. When he was selected to command USACE’s Norfolk District as a colonel, he admits he checked the list twice. “Up until the day I took the colors, I wasn’t sure I could get as excited about aquatic ecosystem restoration, navigation and flood risk management as I did about preparing troops for combat,” he recalls. “But I absolutely love it.”

That discovery has shaped the last decade of his career, culminating in his current role as Deputy Commanding General for Civil and Emergency Operations, a position that places him at the center of the nation’s inland and coastal waterway infrastructure strategy.

And for Kelly, the mission is deeply personal.

Raised in Flint, Michigan, he witnessed firsthand the consequences of infrastructure failure. “Seeing what my hometown endured underscored how vital reliable infrastructure is,” he says. “It taught me the respect we owe the engineers and technicians who keep these systems safe.” That lived experience drives the urgency he brings to a system he calls “one of America’s great strategic advantages, and one we can no longer take for granted.”

USACE by the Numbers: The Quiet Giant of U.S. Commerce

The Army Corps of Engineers today spans eight divisions and 44 districts, covering every U.S. state and territory. Its 250-year legacy celebrated in 2024 includes everything from founding West Point to opening the nation’s navigable rivers to commerce. It remains one of the most consequential stewards of arguably one of the United States’ leading economic engines:

• 12,000 miles of inland waterways

• 13,000 miles of Intracoastal waterways

• 2.3 billion tons of cargo supported annually

• 98% of overseas trade moving through Corps-maintained waterways

• 700 dams and 13,500 miles of levees maintained

• 266 million annual visitors at USACE recreation sites

• The largest hydropower owner in the nation

Nearly half of all U.S. consumer goods and 70% of imported oil rely on navigation channels maintained by USACE. Barges traveling these routes reduce highway congestion, lower logistics costs, and provide a safer and more sustainable way to move cargo. Simply put, America’s waterways are foundational to its economy, and USACE is the key steward of that system.

USACE Photo

Eighty percent of our locks are 50 years old,” he says. “My vision is a reliable and available system. That will only happen if we rehab what we have, maintain what we have, and invest in what we have.”

- Major General Jason E. Kelly,
Deputy Commanding General for Civil and Emergency Operations, USACE

Aging Infrastructure: “It’s Not Good”

Kelly is candid about the current condition of the inland waterway system: “Greg, this question turns my smile upside down, because it’s not good.” According to Kelly, the most recent American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) report card graded inland waterways a C- and dams a D+. The reasons are stark:

• 80% of locks and dams exceed their 50-year design life

• 7 out of 10 U.S. dams are over half a century old

• Deferred maintenance has led to rising multi-day closures

• Unscheduled failures are increasing in frequency and severity

“Lack of investment over time has consequences,” Kelly says. “These aging systems lead to delays and higher transportation costs. They create operational risk we can no longer ignore.”

The backlog is vast, and the stakes are high: a failure in one major lock can halt commerce for states across an entire region. “My tenure,” Kelly says plainly, “will be defined by how we take this challenge on.”

Modernization Underway: Technology as a Force Multiplier

While funding is essential, Kelly is equally focused on innovation. “We have to modernize the system for this day,” he says, “and set conditions for a more favorable future.”

Key modernization initiatives include:

• Lock Control Modernization: A major push is underway to update control systems, integrate digital dashboards, and leverage modern automation. “I need to take advantage of today’s technology to buy down operating and maintenance costs,” Kelly says.

• Digital Twins: USACE is increasingly using digital replicas of physical assets to simulate performance and detect vulnerabilities before they become failures. “This is helping us go faster and intervene earlier,” Kelly notes.

• Advanced Materials: Fiber-reinforced polymers and new construction materials promise longer life cycles and reduced maintenance—critical advantages when assets are 70-plus years old.

• Asset Management Tools: Sophisticated analytics provide deeper insights into structural health, helping the Corps prioritize resources with greater accuracy.

• Optimized Dredging & Sediment Management

On the coastal side, Kelly stresses the need for sustainable navigation and channel deepening to accommodate today’s larger vessels. “If we are going to remain competitive globally, we must advance deep-draft projects,” he says.

The New Reality: Faster, Leaner, More Integrated Delivery

Kelly is clear-eyed about the challenge of delivery timelines that have ballooned from 7–10 years to 20 years or more, and the organization is focused on three imperatives:

• Get the engineering right

• Get the project management right

• Get the team right

With that, USACE is simultaneously:

• Delivering authorized projects now

• Innovating for tomorrow

• Investing in its people and partners

It is a deliberate shift toward a more collaborative model, with industry and non-federal sponsors playing essential roles. “It is the collective,” Kelly says, “that is going to allow us to continue to deliver for the nation.”

A 30-Year Vision for U.S. Waterways

Looking ahead, Kelly sees a system that can be renewed, but only through sustained, strategic investment.

“Eighty percent of our locks are 50 years old,” he says. “My vision is a reliable and available system. That will only happen if we rehab what we have, maintain what we have, and invest in what we have.”

There are seven major lock and dam projects in active construction today — from Chickamauga to Montgomery to Lock and Dam 25 — along with several in design. These projects are part of a generational modernization push.

Kelly’s aspiration is to set the trajectory for his successors.

“I want the next Deputy Commanding General to say they’re excited about what we started,” he says. “If we modernize lock operations, upgrade controls, and continue to lean into innovation, we will have done well.”

For Major General Kelly, the inland and coastal waterways are not simply an operational concern, they are a national advantage. “You understand this industry, so you understand the value,” he tells maritime stakeholders. “These waterways are why we are a superpower. But we must invest today. Not tomorrow.”

His message is clear, consistent, and urgent: America’s waterways remain one of the most powerful engines of its economy—and one of the most vulnerable if ignored.

What the Army Corps of Engineers does next will determine whether this 250-year system remains an asset for generations, or becomes a liability.

Kelly is determined to ensure it remains the former.