As a result of increased traffic, the users of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway have requested that the size of the present canal be increased for the portion extending from New Orleans, Louisiana, to Brownsville, Texas. The United States Congress authorized the Corps of Engineers to study this proposal on 11 June 1952. Enlargement of the section of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway in Texas, was found to be justified on the basis of benefits from increased economy of operation of typical barge tows that it is anticipated would operate on the waterway. The studies and analyses made to reach this conclusion are discussed in this paper.