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Navigation and Transportation
Drought impacts port and waterway transportation and supply chains, resulting in increased transportation costs. Higher temperatures that often coexist with drought can impact roads, airport runways, and rail lines.
This map shows major U.S. waterways that are navigable for transportation, alongside drought conditions from the U.S. Drought Monitor. Waterway data are recorded by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
This map shows U.S. interstates alongside drought conditions from the U.S. Drought Monitor. Roadway information is recorded by Natural Earth.
This map shows U.S. airports alongside drought conditions from the U.S. Drought Monitor. Airport data are recorded by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
This map shows U.S. railways alongside drought conditions from the U.S. Drought Monitor. Railway data come from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
During drought conditions that result in low water levels on rivers and other waterways, port and maritime navigation and transportation operations may be limited due to a reduction in available routes and cargo-carrying capacity, resulting in increased costs. In addition, higher temperatures that often coexist with drought can impact roads, airport runways, and rail lines.
Learn MoreDuring drought conditions that result in low water levels on rivers and other waterways, port and maritime navigation and transportation operations may be limited due to a reduction in available routes and cargo-carrying capacity, resulting in increased costs. In addition, higher temperatures that often coexist with drought can impact roads, airport runways, and rail lines.
Learn MoreDuring drought conditions that result in low water levels on rivers and other waterways, port and maritime navigation and transportation operations may be limited due to a reduction in available routes and cargo-carrying capacity, resulting in increased costs. In addition, higher temperatures that often coexist with drought can impact roads, airport runways, and rail lines.
Learn MoreDuring drought conditions that result in low water levels on rivers and other waterways, port and maritime navigation and transportation operations may be limited due to a reduction in available routes and cargo-carrying capacity, resulting in increased costs. In addition, higher temperatures that often coexist with drought can impact roads, airport runways, and rail lines.
Learn MoreU.S. Navigable Waterways
U.S. Drought Monitor
U.S. Roadways
U.S. Drought Monitor
U.S. Air Traffic
U.S. Drought Monitor
U.S. Railways
U.S. Drought Monitor
This map shows major U.S. waterways that are navigable for transportation, alongside drought conditions from the U.S. Drought Monitor. Waterway data are recorded by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
This map shows U.S. interstates alongside drought conditions from the U.S. Drought Monitor. Roadway information is recorded by Natural Earth.
This map shows U.S. airports alongside drought conditions from the U.S. Drought Monitor. Airport data are recorded by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
This map shows U.S. railways alongside drought conditions from the U.S. Drought Monitor. Railway data come from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
During drought conditions that result in low water levels on rivers and other waterways, port and maritime navigation and transportation operations may be limited due to a reduction in available routes and cargo-carrying capacity, resulting in increased costs. In addition, higher temperatures that often coexist with drought can impact roads, airport runways, and rail lines.
Learn MoreDuring drought conditions that result in low water levels on rivers and other waterways, port and maritime navigation and transportation operations may be limited due to a reduction in available routes and cargo-carrying capacity, resulting in increased costs. In addition, higher temperatures that often coexist with drought can impact roads, airport runways, and rail lines.
Learn MoreDuring drought conditions that result in low water levels on rivers and other waterways, port and maritime navigation and transportation operations may be limited due to a reduction in available routes and cargo-carrying capacity, resulting in increased costs. In addition, higher temperatures that often coexist with drought can impact roads, airport runways, and rail lines.
Learn MoreDuring drought conditions that result in low water levels on rivers and other waterways, port and maritime navigation and transportation operations may be limited due to a reduction in available routes and cargo-carrying capacity, resulting in increased costs. In addition, higher temperatures that often coexist with drought can impact roads, airport runways, and rail lines.
Learn MorePorts and Waterways
Drought reduces available water-based transportation routes and limits cargo-carrying capacity.
Pavement and Rail Lines
Higher temperatures that often coexist with drought can impact pavement performance, affecting roads and airport runways, and cause rail line buckling.
Subsidence
When water supplies are depleted in drought, increased use of groundwater can cause the ground to sink (called land subsidence). Subsidence damages infrastructure and can cause sinkholes.
Wildfires
Smoke from potentially drought-related wildfires can affect visibility severely enough to close roads and airports.
Drought Impacts on Navigation and Transportation
During drought conditions that result in low water levels on rivers and other waterways, port and water-borne transportation operations may be limited due to a reduction in available routes and cargo-carrying capacity, resulting in increased transportation costs. For example, the 2012 Great Plains drought closed the Mississippi River at least three times, costing an estimated $300 million per day that the river was closed to traffic.
Any increased shipping costs may be passed on to consumers, resulting in higher retail prices for goods. Alternative modes of transportation (such as rail or truck) may be available for some products, but it would be impractical to shift products such as Midwest grain to these modes of transportation.
Drought conditions can affect more than just waterways. Higher temperatures that often coexist with drought can impact pavement, requiring state departments of transportation to allocate resources for repair. Airport runways are also vulnerable to extreme heat, which can cause asphalt to soften and deteriorate. Some airplanes themselves cannot fly in extremely high temperatures. While larger planes are able to operate in a wide range of temperature conditions, many smaller, regional aircraft cannot fly safely if temperatures exceed 118℉. Extreme heat can also cause rail lines to buckle (called “sun kinks”), causing derailments. When water supplies are depleted in drought, subsidence (the sinking of the ground) can occur as more groundwater is removed. This affects infrastructure, including roads, buildings, and water pipes, and can lead to the formation of sinkholes.
Drought also increases the risk of wildfire, the smoke from which can severely affect visibility and result in road and airport closures.
Drought Early Warning for the Navigation and Transportation Sector
Drought early warning is essential to prepare for and mitigate drought’s impacts on the navigation and transportation sector, such as reduced transportation routes and damages to infrastructure due to subsidence. The resources below are organized by the key components of a drought early warning system: (1) drought observation and monitoring; (2) drought planning and preparedness; (3) prediction and forecasting of drought; (4) communication and outreach to the public and affected sectors; and (5) interdisciplinary and applied research on topics of concern to drought-affected sectors.
Planning & Preparedness
Prediction & Forecasting
Communication & Outreach
Related Content
Data & Maps | Temperature & Precipitation
Access current, historical, and forecasted information from this collection of foundational datasets and maps.
Data & Maps | Water Supply
Access datasets and maps for monitoring water supply.
Data & Maps | Fire
Smoke from wildfires can reduce visibility enough to close airports and roads. Access information on current conditions and outlooks for fire risk, potential, and occurrence.
By Sector | Manufacturing
During drought conditions, reductions in or interruption of the water supply can result in reduced plant productivity or even lead to closure of manufacturing facilities.