The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District said it is expediting the opening of a 100-foot-wide navigation channel through the dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, by August 28.
On July 15, the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 staff near Elizabeth, Pa., discovered an issue with the water level in the primary lock chamber. The district implemented a 7-foot-draft restriction.
The navigation industry continues to utilize the lock chamber within this navigational restriction to preserve navigation and avoid the possibility of damaging vessels or the lock chamber itself.
Although the lock remains in service, the district said it recognizes the restriction's impacts on industry, and it is working with its contractor to open the navigation channel through the existing fixed-crest dam, eliminating the need to use the locks.
“We are committed to opening the 100-foot-wide channel through the dam for commercial navigation's as safely and expeditiously as possible.” said Col. Nicholas Melin, commander of the Pittsburgh District.
The original projected timeline for opening the channel to navigation was December 2024.
While construction is ongoing to establish the in-dam channel, industry will have full use of the lock chamber within the 7-foot-draft restriction. Once the district has established the channel, commercial traffic will use the channel.
Until contractors have completely removed the dam, recreation vessels will continue using the lock at Elizabeth to not interfere with commercial navigation.