Changes to Mon River locks and dam near Elizabeth mean smoother sailing for commercial vessels
ELIZABETH, Pa. (KDKA) -- Commercial traffic will now have an easier time traveling through the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opened a large navigation channel.
It's been all hands on deck at the dam that's been on the river for more than a century. After a controlled explosion in July removed part of the structure, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District discovered the water in the lock chamber was too shallow for fully loaded barges to pass through. Pittsburgh District's commander, Colonel Nicholas Melin, said the lock chamber remained open the last 45 days with a 7-foot draft restriction.
"They had to load less coal, less gravel, less cargo into their barges as they transited through the lock and dam," Melin said.
Now it's smoother sailing. Thursday morning, they opened a 100-foot-wide navigation channel for commercial vessels through the middle of the dam.
"One: it's quicker they don't have to wait to lock through, they can drive through the dam. And two: they're able to load a larger number of a larger volume of commodities into the barges," Melin said.
Over the last month and a half, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and construction crews have been accelerating their work in the water to make it happen. Melin said they worked with their contractor to cut the expected construction time in half.
"To allow industry to be able to freely transit through the dam, fully loaded in order to support the industry of the region and the local economy," Melin said.
State lawmakers, boaters and community members have voiced concerns about the water depth issues.
Melin said they've been working with the impacted businesses to understand permitting requirements to adjust their facilities.
"The level of water in the channel is right now around one foot higher than what its final elevation will be. We're holding the water one foot higher in order to allow the full construction project, the removal of the dam to be completed. But once that's finished, the water level will stabilize at about 2 feet lower, between 2 and 3 feet lower than where it was previously," Melin said.
The project isn't done. Next they'll remove the rest of the dam by December.
"Which will allow industry full use of the 300-foot navigation channel. The benefits that are realized by opening the channel will be $200 million each, and every year. That's what we've calculated of benefit to the economy and to local communities," Melin said.
He said he appreciates everyone's patience while there've been inconveniences for industry and residents.
"There's going to be a long-term benefit that the whole region will be able to enjoy with one less lock and dam along the Monongahela River, and a lot more open river for both industry to utilize and our recreators to enjoy," he said. "So, 30 miles of river will be opened up, uninterrupted for both industry and recreation," he said.
Then next year, they'll demolish the lock chambers.