17 Mar 2026

Estimating the Value of Virtual Aids to Navigation (VATONs) Deployed by the USACE LOMA Program near Lake Providence, Louisiana

Abstract: The purpose of this US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) technical note (TN) is to estimate the value of a Virtual Aid to Navigation (VATON) as deployed from a mobile trailer by the Lock Operations Management Application (LOMA) program, operated through the ERDC Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory (CHL). Estimates are developed based on the observed vessel traffic that transited the waterway during VATON deployment, historical information about vessel cargo movements and cargo value, and a mobile trailer cost estimate of $50,000.