PITTSBURGH -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District is notifying recreational boaters that the upper Allegheny River and the upper Monongahela River locks will be open during specific dates and times this summer.
The Corps will provide locking services to recreational boaters through partnerships with the Allegheny River Development Corporation and the Upper Monongahela River Association.
The public-private partnership allows these organizations to propose a lock operations schedule for recreational traffic and to contribute funds to pay for lock operators. With the ARDC and UMRA funding, the locks would be open and staffed for commercial navigation by appointment due to historically low or no levels of barge traffic.
The locking service is dependent on operational and safety conditions at the facilities. With limited maintenance funding, an unexpected repair could require a lock shutdown for an undetermined period.
In 2011, the Army Corps had to reduce service at low-commercial-use facilities and to ensure congressional funds were used at critical, high-use locks.
Allegheny River Locks 6 through 9 will be open starting Memorial Day weekend, May 26, and continue through Sept. 30.
Interested boaters should visit https://www.alleghenyriverdevelopment.org/lock-operations-schedule for the complete schedule.
The Upper Monongahela River Association contributed funds have ensured Opekiska and Hildebrand locks and dams will be open starting May 20 through Sept. 23, Saturday, and Sunday, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For the complete UMRA locking schedule visit, https://www.lrp.usace.army.mil/Missions/Navigation/Locks-and-Dams/.
For navigation notices visit, https://www.lrp.usace.army.mil/Missions/Navigation/Navigation-Charts/.
For locking through and boating information visit, https://www.lrp.usace.army.mil/Portals/72/docs/navigation/celrpp_1130_1_10.pdf
Pittsburgh District’s 26,000 square miles include portions of western Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia, eastern Ohio, western Maryland, and southwestern New York. It has more than 328 miles of navigable waterways, 23 navigation locks and dams, 16 multi-purpose flood-control reservoirs, 42 local flood-protection projects, and other projects to protect and enhance the nation’s water resources infrastructure and environment.
Media can contact the Public Affairs office at CELRP-PA@usace.army.mil or 412-395-7500.
KNOW.TAKE.WEAR. Know the waterways. Take a water safety course. Wear your life jacket.