Pittsburgh District opens navigation channel on Monongahela Rive
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District contractors use a clamshell excavator to remove rubble from a fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 in Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, Sept. 5, 2024. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District opened a 100-foot-wide navigation channel for commercial vessels through the center of the dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, Thursday, Sept. 5. The first commercial navigation vessel passed through the channel during the morning. The channel has a 56-foot width restriction and a 9-foot draft restriction. Commercial traffic can still use the lock chamber while following the 7-foot draft restriction. Recreational vessels are required to use the lock at Elizabeth to avoid interfering with ongoing construction and commercial navigation. Commercial and recreational vessels should follow the U.S. Coast Guard’s specified navigation routes, notify lock personnel of incoming traffic, and adhere to proper lock-through procedures. Signage upstream and downstream of the lock will guide vessels to the appropriate entrance and exit points, facilitating safe and efficient passage. The demolition work, including removing remaining rubble, will continue through December. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)