SCHotline Press Releases

Riverboats and barges have been used for trade for many centuries. “The inland waterways of this country carried over 630 million tons of cargo at a value of 73 billion dollars last year. This cargo moves at an average savings of $10.67 per ton over the cost of shipping by alternative modes. This translates into over $7 billion annually in transportation savings to America’s economy. Virtually all American consumers benefit from these lower transportation costs.” (US Army Corps of Engineers article titled “Inland waterway Navigation - Value to the Nation“, 2000). Riverboats plied the Congaree and Santee Rivers from Columbia to Georgetown until the Lakes were built.The State still wanted to use the water for transportation to carry commerce when Lakes Marion and Moultrie were built, but they wanted to go to Charleston instead of Georgetown. That is why they dredged the diversion canal and the tailrace canal to the Cooper River. The State constructed the Pinopolis lock at Jefferies Hydroelectric Station. It was the highest single-lift lock in the world at the time of construction. “Jefferies Generating Station - Hydro 1,2,3,4,6 — These units marked the foundation of the Santee Cooper generating system, the nation’s first state-owned hydroelectric and navigation project. The units are part of the first hydroelectric project constructed in a tidal area, and the first diversion in the U.S. of one river (Santee) to another (Cooper) for power generation and navigation.” (stated in an article on the Santee - Cooper website). Right after this project was completed, trucks started hauling cargo. The trucks were faster, fuel cheaper, and the roads not crowded. Now the trucks crowd the roads and bridges, tear them up by being overweight, and fuel costs are rapidly rising. The river and lakes are not crowded, there are no weight limits, and you can not wear them out.

Why does South Carolina need a barge service?

Barges pushed by a tugboat use 88% less fuel per ton of cargo than a truck and 55% less than a train. One barge replaces about 60 trucks. It would take truck traffic off our roads and would have 88% less pollution. The barges would move containers of cargo from the Port of Charleston to near Santee, South Carolina. The port of Charleston handled 1.8 million containers and a lot of bulk cargo (grain, wood products, textiles and paper products). (S.C. State Ports Authority website). The tugboats would push barges back down with containers filled with South Carolina products, bulk (forest products, paper products, textiles, scrap metal and farm products). These savings would be passed on to consumers. The shipping costs for South Carolina producers would be reduced, making our exports cheaper to foreign customers. Plants, mills and other companies would locate along the barge route with cheaper freight costs for their raw materials. Some existing companies and starting companies are showing interest in cheaper freight cost.

There are some people who live on the lakes that don’t want barges on them. The lakes are managed by Santee-Cooper, which are owned by The State of South Carolina. As previously stated, every thing that was done in the construction of the lakes and rivers were for power generation, navigation and now recreation. The barge company would help create a lot of jobs for the counties around the lakes and river. The manufacturing plants would pay property taxes for the schools and other needs in some of our state’s poorest areas. Our homes would not be taxed as much. Greenville County has a lot of industry and their property taxes are less on their homes and vehicles. These lakes and the river can be used by everyone and no one particular use would interfere with another ones’ use. The Corps of Engineers would maintain a higher water level for safe navigation. There would not be much noise from the tugboats as their engines are below the water line. A barge does not make a wake at 4 knots. It would not bother the fish, wildlife or the environment. The sewage on the tugboats would have to be disposed of at an approved dump station. It is against the law to dump sewage in our lakes and rivers.

The only negative thing is that barges are slower than trucks. A truck can be at Santee in ½ day, a barge would take two days. The time frame should not matter very much as the containers have been on a ship for several weeks. Everyone that would be effected by this should work together to make it happen for the good of all South Carolinians.

David R. Whetsell

Lexington, S.C.29073