Gulf Intracoastal Waterway


The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway is the portion of the Intracoastal Waterway located along the Gulf Coast of the United States. It is a navigable inland waterway running approximately from Carrabelle, Florida, to Brownsville, Texas.
The waterway provides a channel with a controlling depth of, designed primarily for barge transportation. Although the U.S. government proposals for such a waterway were made in the early 19th century, the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway was not completed until 1949.

EHL & WHL mileages

Locations along the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway are defined in terms of statute miles east and west of Harvey Lock, a navigation lock in the New Orleans area located at. The Hathaway Bridge in Panama City, Florida, for example, is at mile 284.6 EHL. The Queen Isabella Causeway Bridge at South Padre Island is at mile 665.1 WHL.

Connecting waterways

The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway crosses or meets, and in some cases is confluent with, numerous other navigable rivers and waterways. They include:
Many of the busiest ports in the United States in terms of tons of cargo are located on or near the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. Notable ports on or near the waterway include:
Florida
Alabama
Mississippi
Louisiana
Texas