The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District is alerting mariners that starting October 30, pillar buoys at the district’s 23 navigations facilities will be removed from the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers in advance of winter weather.
Pillar buoys marking restricted areas at all navigation dams will be removed from the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio rivers in this district in advance of the ice and high water season with a completion date sometime during November.
Boaters should use caution as they approach the locks, especially when proceeding downstream. Boaters are also urged to consult their navigation charts to be absolutely sure of their landmarks when approaching the locks and dams.
The buoy removal will take approximately a week pending river and weather conditions.
Please consult navigation charts for the location of locks and dams facilities, restricted areas and other features on area waterways. River users should check the current river conditions and notifications to navigation prior to using the waterways.
The Corps asks mariners to remember: “These warning buoys can be pushed off station at any time during high water or freeze events; therefore, they have to be considered a last resort for water safety,” said John Anderson, supervisory operations specialist. “The first line of personal safety on the rivers is for an individual to KNOW the water, TAKE a course, WEAR a lifejacket.”
The warning buoys will be reinstalled prior to the start of the recreation boating season next year.
The complete navigation notice may be found at http://ntninotices.usace.army.mil/lpwb/f?p=150:1:0::NO:::. Mariners can also contact the locks directly on Marine Radio Channel 13.
###
Release no. 18-048