The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ mission to maintain and improve maritime channels and harbors dates back to the early history of the Corps.  Starting in 1824 Federal law authorized the Corps to maintain the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers as well as several ports.  This mission has expanded with the Corps responsible for maintaining 12,000 miles of inland waterways, 235 locks, 300 commercial harbors, as well as 600 smaller harbors, to date.   This mission is critical to the economy of the United States with 13,000 jobs relying on import and export trade.