California’s Inland Waterways

In a separate December 2025 evaluation of California’s infrastructure challenges, the ASCE gave the state’s inland waterways a “D”. The report specifically took a dim view of conditions affecting access to the Ports of West Sacramento and Stockton in Northern California.

The ASCE assessment observed that a “system of inland waterways connect California’s greater San Francisco Bay Delta Region (the Delta) to the Pacific Ocean enabling ocean going vessels to access the inland Ports of Stockton and West Sacramento which annually support over $90 million in foreign trade. Dramatically increased shoaling due to extreme weather events as well as the seismic and vessel strike vulnerability of six vitally important overcrossing bridges have increased the need for maintenance dredging and infrastructure upgrades/repairs. With ongoing annual dredging barely maintaining the navigability of the Stockton and Sacramento Deep Water Shipping Channels (DWSC), no substantive upgrades have been authorized in decades. As such, California’s inland waterways continue to merit their 2019 D grade and will remain so until adequate maintenance and deepening funding is made available.”

This inland waterway supports the agricultural industry in California’s Central Valley by handling approximately 90% of region’s fertilizer imports and shipping a sizable share of Northern California’s farm exports, “generating 5.8 million tons of cargo or $90 million in annual revenue”, according to ASCE.