An overview of the existing inland waterway system in the Soviet Union and its features and trends of development is presented. The major characteristics of commodity flows, channels, fleets, and ports in the United States and the Soviet Union are analyzed and compared. An economic estimate considers such specifics of USSR waterways as the time lag between expenditures and utilization of capacity; the value of waterways in pioneering and developing Siberia and the Arctic area; distribution of costs and benefits in multipurpose projects; and other aspects. The main differnces between the USSR and US inland fleets are evaluated, and major existing waterways and future projects under consideration in the Soviet Union are described./Author/