Contractors working for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District install a 23-foot-tall concrete shaft enclosure weighing approximately 120,000 pounds as part of the guard wall at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 4 in Charleroi, Pennsylvania, Nov. 16, 2023.

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A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District
Published July 11, 2024
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District performs a controlled explosion to breach the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. The Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 has been operating since 1907, but the facility is prone to flooding and shuts down operations during high-water events, resulting in navigation delays. The U.S. Coast Guard supported by establishing restriction zone 1,500 feet up and downstream of the dam. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.

Contractors for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District wait to enter a navigation chamber as they prepare for the first controlled demolition to breach the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. The Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 has been operating since 1907, but the facility is prone to flooding and shuts down operations during high-water events, resulting in navigation delays. The U.S. Coast Guard supported by establishing restriction zone 1,500 feet up and downstream of the dam. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.

Contractors for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District operate a towboat past a lock chamber as they prepare for the first controlled demolition to breach the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. The Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 has been operating since 1907, but the facility is prone to flooding and shuts down operations during high-water events, resulting in navigation delays. The U.S. Coast Guard supported by establishing restriction zone 1,500 feet up and downstream of the dam. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.

The U.S. Coast Guard locks through a navigation chamber to provide patrol on the river for the first controlled demolition to breach the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. The Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 has been operating since 1907, but the facility is prone to flooding and shuts down operations during high-water events, resulting in navigation delays. The U.S. Coast Guard supported by establishing restriction zone 1,500 feet up and downstream of the dam. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.

The fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 is barely visible as the upper and lower river pool levels equalize in anticipation for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District to breach the dam near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. The Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 has been operating since 1907, but the facility is prone to flooding and shuts down operations during high-water events, resulting in navigation delays. The U.S. Coast Guard supported by establishing restriction zone 1,500 feet up and downstream of the dam. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.

Contractors for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District ride a boat during the first controlled demolition to breach the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. The Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 has been operating since 1907, but the facility is prone to flooding and shuts down operations during high-water events, resulting in navigation delays. The U.S. Coast Guard supported by establishing restriction zone 1,500 feet up and downstream of the dam. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.

Contractors for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District finalize the staging area and explosive charges for the first controlled demolition to breach the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. The Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 has been operating since 1907, but the facility is prone to flooding and shuts down operations during high-water events, resulting in navigation delays. The U.S. Coast Guard supported by establishing restriction zone 1,500 feet up and downstream of the dam. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.

The U.S. Coast Guard locks through a navigation chamber to provide patrol on the river for the first controlled demolition to breach the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. The Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 has been operating since 1907, but the facility is prone to flooding and shuts down operations during high-water events, resulting in navigation delays. The U.S. Coast Guard supported by establishing restriction zone 1,500 feet up and downstream of the dam. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.

Contractors for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District finalize the staging area and explosive charges for the first controlled demolition to breach the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. The Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 has been operating since 1907, but the facility is prone to flooding and shuts down operations during high-water events, resulting in navigation delays. The U.S. Coast Guard supported by establishing restriction zone 1,500 feet up and downstream of the dam. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.
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Contractors for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District finalize the staging area and explosive charges for the first controlled demolition to breach the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. The Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 has been operating since 1907, but the facility is prone to flooding and shuts down operations during high-water events, resulting in navigation delays. The U.S. Coast Guard supported by establishing restriction zone 1,500 feet up and downstream of the dam. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.
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Contractors for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District finalize the staging area and explosive charges for the first controlled demolition to breach the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. The Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 has been operating since 1907, but the facility is prone to flooding and shuts down operations during high-water events, resulting in navigation delays. The U.S. Coast Guard supported by establishing restriction zone 1,500 feet up and downstream of the dam. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.
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The United States and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flags fly over the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 before the first controlled demolition to breach the fixed-crest dam near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. The Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 has been operating since 1907, but the facility is prone to flooding and shuts down operations during high-water events, resulting in navigation delays. The U.S. Coast Guard supported by establishing restriction zone 1,500 feet up and downstream of the dam. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.
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The U.S. Coast Guard locks through a navigation chamber to provide patrol on the river for the first controlled demolition to breach the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. The Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 has been operating since 1907, but the facility is prone to flooding and shuts down operations during high-water events, resulting in navigation delays. The U.S. Coast Guard supported by establishing restriction zone 1,500 feet up and downstream of the dam. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.
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Contractors for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District finalize the staging area and explosive charges for the first controlled demolition to breach the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. The Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 has been operating since 1907, but the facility is prone to flooding and shuts down operations during high-water events, resulting in navigation delays. The U.S. Coast Guard supported by establishing restriction zone 1,500 feet up and downstream of the dam. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Col. Nicholas Melin)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.
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Col. Nicholas Melin, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District, rides a boat with the Elizabeth Borough Volunteer Fire Department to watch the first controlled demolition to breach the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Stacey G.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.
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Col. Nicholas Melin, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District, rides a boat with the Elizabeth Borough Volunteer Fire Department to watch the first controlled demolition to breach the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Stacey G.

A contractor for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District prepares the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 for demolition near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 2, 2024.
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A contractor for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District prepares the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 for demolition near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 2, 2024. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District has scheduled July 10 as the first controlled demolition date to remove the fixed-crest dam on the Monongahela River near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. Removing the dam is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. The Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 has been operating since 1907, but the facility is prone to flooding and must therefore be shut down during high-water events, resulting in navigation delays. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District installed navigation safety signs and buoys upstream and downstream of Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania.
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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District installed navigation safety signs and buoys upstream and downstream of Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, to warn river users and industry of hazardous conditions during the upcoming demolition of a 117-year-old dam. The district placed the signs on the river 1,500 feet upstream and downstream of the fixed-crest dam. The first dam breach is scheduled for July 10, 2024. The lock chambers will close to navigation at least three days following the initial demolition. The closure may extend up to 12 days depending on river flows conditions. The work to remove the rest of the dam will continue through December 2024. Until the entire dam is removed, and until the Corps verifies the navigation channel is safe through the area, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, which will require the locks to close for three hours or less. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles, from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.
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Bystanders wait for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District to conduct the first controlled demolition to breach the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. The Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 has been operating since 1907, but the facility is prone to flooding and shuts down operations during high-water events, resulting in navigation delays. The U.S. Coast Guard supported by establishing restriction zone 1,500 feet up and downstream of the dam. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Dan Jones)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.
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Boaters wait for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District to conduct the first controlled demolition to breach the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. The Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 has been operating since 1907, but the facility is prone to flooding and shuts down operations during high-water events, resulting in navigation delays. The U.S. Coast Guard supported by establishing restriction zone 1,500 feet up and downstream of the dam. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Dan Jones)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.
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A towboat locks downstream for the last time while the dam is intact before the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District conducts the first controlled demolition to breach the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. The Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 has been operating since 1907, but the facility is prone to flooding and shuts down operations during high-water events, resulting in navigation delays. The U.S. Coast Guard supported by establishing restriction zone 1,500 feet up and downstream of the dam. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.
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Two towboats lock downstream for the last time while the dam is intact before the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District conducts the first controlled demolition to breach the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. The Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 has been operating since 1907, but the facility is prone to flooding and shuts down operations during high-water events, resulting in navigation delays. The U.S. Coast Guard supported by establishing restriction zone 1,500 feet up and downstream of the dam. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.
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Ethan LaManna, lock operator for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, gives a signal to help lock boats through the chamber during the first controlled demolition to breach the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. The Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 has been operating since 1907, but the facility is prone to flooding and shuts down operations during high-water events, resulting in navigation delays. The U.S. Coast Guard supported by establishing restriction zone 1,500 feet up and downstream of the dam. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.
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Ian Mckelvey, the Monongahela River operations supervisor for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, waits for a working towboat to enter the navigation lock during the first controlled demolition to breach the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.
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Ethan LaManna, lock operator, and Ian Mckelvey, the Monongahela River operations supervisor for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, wait for a working towboat to enter the navigation lock during the first controlled demolition to breach the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburg

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.
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Strong winds and choppy waters caused delays for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District on their first controlled demolition to breach the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. The Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 has been operating since 1907, but the facility is prone to flooding and shuts down operations during high-water events, resulting in navigation delays. The U.S. Coast Guard supported by establishing restriction zone 1,500 feet up and downstream of the dam. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.
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A towboat assists the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District with moving a barge during the first controlled demolition to breach the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. The Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 has been operating since 1907, but the facility is prone to flooding and shuts down operations during high-water events, resulting in navigation delays. The U.S. Coast Guard supported by establishing restriction zone 1,500 feet up and downstream of the dam. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.
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Contractors for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District move their working barges into position as they prepare for the first controlled demolition to breach the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. The Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 has been operating since 1907, but the facility is prone to flooding and shuts down operations during high-water events, resulting in navigation delays. The U.S. Coast Guard supported by establishing restriction zone 1,500 feet up and downstream of the dam. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.
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Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. The Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 has been operating since 1907, but the facility is prone to flooding and shuts down operations during high-water events, resulting in navigation delays. The U.S. Coast Guard supported by establishing restriction zone 1,500 feet up and downstream of the dam. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District successfully breached the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 using controlled explosives near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.
A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demol
Contractors for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District finalize the staging area and explosive charges for the first controlled demolition to breach the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. The Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 has been operating since 1907, but the facility is prone to flooding and shuts down operations during high-water events, resulting in navigation delays. The U.S. Coast Guard supported by establishing restriction zone 1,500 feet up and downstream of the dam. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Col. Nicholas Melin)
Photo By: Michel Sauret
VIRIN: 240710-A-NM412-1607

Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.
A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demol
Col. Nicholas Melin, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District, rides a boat with the Elizabeth Borough Volunteer Fire Department to watch the first controlled demolition to breach the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Stacey G.
Photo By: Michel Sauret
VIRIN: 240710-A-GE626-1544

The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.
A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demol
A towboat assists the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District with moving a barge during the first controlled demolition to breach the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. The Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 has been operating since 1907, but the facility is prone to flooding and shuts down operations during high-water events, resulting in navigation delays. The U.S. Coast Guard supported by establishing restriction zone 1,500 feet up and downstream of the dam. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)
Photo By: Michel Sauret
VIRIN: 240710-A-TI382-1373

The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.
A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demol
Contractors for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District finalize the staging area and explosive charges for the first controlled demolition to breach the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. The Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 has been operating since 1907, but the facility is prone to flooding and shuts down operations during high-water events, resulting in navigation delays. The U.S. Coast Guard supported by establishing restriction zone 1,500 feet up and downstream of the dam. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)
Photo By: Michel Sauret
VIRIN: 240710-A-TI382-1100

After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.
A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demol
Boaters wait for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District to conduct the first controlled demolition to breach the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. The Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 has been operating since 1907, but the facility is prone to flooding and shuts down operations during high-water events, resulting in navigation delays. The U.S. Coast Guard supported by establishing restriction zone 1,500 feet up and downstream of the dam. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Dan Jones)
Photo By: Michel Sauret
VIRIN: 240710-A-ZK785-1002

The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.
A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demol
A towboat locks downstream for the last time while the dam is intact before the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District conducts the first controlled demolition to breach the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. The Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 has been operating since 1907, but the facility is prone to flooding and shuts down operations during high-water events, resulting in navigation delays. The U.S. Coast Guard supported by establishing restriction zone 1,500 feet up and downstream of the dam. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)
Photo By: Michel Sauret
VIRIN: 240710-A-TI382-1454

The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.
A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demol
Ian Mckelvey, the Monongahela River operations supervisor for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, waits for a working towboat to enter the navigation lock during the first controlled demolition to breach the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)
Photo By: Michel Sauret
VIRIN: 240710-A-TI382-1408

The Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 has been operating since 1907, but the facility is prone to flooding and shuts down operations during high-water events, resulting in navigation delays.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.
A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demol
Contractors for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District move their working barges into position as they prepare for the first controlled demolition to breach the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. The Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 has been operating since 1907, but the facility is prone to flooding and shuts down operations during high-water events, resulting in navigation delays. The U.S. Coast Guard supported by establishing restriction zone 1,500 feet up and downstream of the dam. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)
Photo By: Michel Sauret
VIRIN: 240710-A-TI382-1359

The U.S. Coast Guard supported the Pittsburgh District by establishing a restriction zone 1,500 feet up and downstream of the dam.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District uses explosives to breach the fixed-crest dam at Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024.
A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demol
The U.S. Coast Guard locks through a navigation chamber to provide patrol on the river for the first controlled demolition to breach the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, July 10, 2024. Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The dam’s removal work will continue through December. Until the Corps removes the entire dam and verifies the navigation channel is safe, all traffic must pass through the landside lock. After the initial demolition, contractors will perform additional demolitions once per week, requiring the locks to close for three hours or less. The demolition will require 13 more controlled explosions, taking down the rest of the dam in 50-foot sections. The contractor will use excavators on barges to remove the rubble from the river. After the dam is removed and the riverway is cleared, waterway users can navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The river is anticipated to reopen by the end of 2024. The Pittsburgh District will then move onto the next phase of removing the lock walls in 2025, with work expected to last until 2027. The demolition is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs. The Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 has been operating since 1907, but the facility is prone to flooding and shuts down operations during high-water events, resulting in navigation delays. The U.S. Coast Guard supported by establishing restriction zone 1,500 feet up and downstream of the dam. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret)
Photo By: Michel Sauret
VIRIN: 240710-A-TI382-1141


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