1960s McClellan-Kerr Waterway (MKARNS)

Tulsa Port of Catoosa: (Satellite)

MKARNS = McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System

USACE
The 445-mile navigation channel begins at the confluence of the White and Mississippi Rivers and proceeds one-half mile upstream on the White River to the Montgomery Point Lock and Dam.  From there the channel proceeds nine miles upstream on the White River to the man made Arkansas Post Canal, and then nine miles through the canal to the Arkansas River.  The McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System crosses the state of Arkansas into Oklahoma traversing the state until it reaches the confluence of the Arkansas and Verdigris River where the navigation channel follows the Verdigris River terminating fifty-one miles upstream at the Port of Catoosa, near Tulsa, Oklahoma.

David Gulden posted
OPENING OF THE MCCLELLAN KERR WATERWAY 50 + YEARS AGO

David Gulden posted three photos with the comment: "MCCLELLAN KERR.  EARLY DAYS"

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Completed in 1970 at a cost of $1.2 billion, the system is 445-miles long (137 miles in Oklahoma & 308 miles in Arkansas) and has 17 locks and dams — 5 in Oklahoma and 12 in Arkansas. Currently, an 18th lock is being constructed on the system at Montgomery Point in Desha County, Ark. The system includes the Verdigris, Arkansas and White Rivers. [ODOT]

Diagram via aopoa
The locks are 600'x110'. The difference in elevation between the port of Catoosa and the Mississippi is 420'. The waterway went up the Verdigris to Catoosa rather than the Arkansas to Tulsa because Tulsa is 110' higher in elevation than Catoosa. The federal cost was $1.2b. There are various facts presented about the economic return on that investment in this article. 

The waterway saw closures during the Flood of 2019. [waterways.arkansas.gov, this has some drone videos of the flooding]