Two U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Medium Capacity Fleet workers measure wiring distance for crane lighting aboard one of the fleet’s barges at Pike Island Locks and Dam on the Ohio River in Stratton, Ohio, July 23, 2025. The fleet is rehabilitating seven of the facility’s nine dam gates by cleaning out debris from inside the dam gates, completing welding repairs, and installing anodes for corrosion protection. The crew expects work to continue for approximately seven weeks. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operates a Medium Capacity Fleet from the Huntington District. The crew performs vital maintenance and repair tasks on inland waterway facilities, including locks and dams at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. The fleet’s operations are crucial to ensuring the smooth flow of bulk commerce, commodities that pass through the locks on the Allegheny, Monongahela, Ohio, Tennessee, and Mississippi rivers. The Pittsburgh District operates Pike Island Locks and Dam year-round to benefit inland navigation. Each year, over 180 million tons of bulk commodities travel the Ohio River through its system of navigation locks. These commodities include coal, petroleum products, chemicals, aggregates (like sand and gravel), grain, and other industrial materials. The river is a vital transportation route in the U.S. inland waterway system, supporting industries ranging from agriculture to energy. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District by Andrew Byrne)