Waterways

Mission

The GDOT Waterways Program partners with the US Army Corps of Engineers to maintain the navigability of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway and Georgia's deep water ports in Savannah and Brunswick.  

Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway

Initially, the local sponsor of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AIWW) within Georgia was the Georgia Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Commission, which was formed in 1939. In 1972, the commission was disbanded, and its responsibilities were transferred to the Georgia Department of Transportation.

The AIWW within Georgia extends for a distance of 137 miles from the Florida state line to the South Carolina state line. GDOT's responsiblity consists of providing land for the upland disposal areas used by the US Army Corps of Engineers to maintain the waterway. GDOT currently provides 98 disposal areas along the length of the AIWW within Georgia.

Savannah Harbor

The Georgia Department of Transportation became the local sponsor for the Savannah Harbor on December 8, 1999.

As local sponsor, GDOT is responsible for:

• Providing easements and rights-of-way for upland disposal areas
• Providing 35% of the cost required to raise and maintain the dikes at the upland disposal areas in the Savannah Harbor.

Brunswick Harbor Information

The Georgia Department of Transportation became the local sponsor for the Brunswick Harbor on April 5, 2002.