Clearing the way for navigation at Elizabeth
Contractors for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District use various floating barges to drill, demolish and remove the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 in Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 29, 2024. The Pittsburgh District initially breached the dam using controlled explosives on July 10. The district, while working with the contractor, will open a 100-foot-wide navigation channel through the existing dam, restoring a 9-foot draft to allow commercial navigation through the dam without using the lock. The district is committed to completing the 100-foot channel work by Aug. 28. The original projected timeline for opening the channel to navigation was December 2024. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)