The US Army Corps of Engineers, Pittsburgh District is advising the navigation industry and recreational boaters that work is scheduled at Monongahela Lock and Dam 4, Charleroi, PA, June 11-15.
The Corps contractor C.J. Mahan Construction Company, LLC, will be installing new panels on the lower river guard walls. During this work, lock closures will be intermittent to allow traffic to pass through. Recreational boaters will be able to lock through but should expect delays as commercial vessels have priority.
The Corps will also have its derrick boat the MONALLO II docked in the lower lock approach area to assist with the panel installation. Work hours are scheduled from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and should have minimum impact on navigation. Due to the limited space in the approach areas, navigators are urged to use extreme caution when entering or exiting the lock chamber during this time.
A vital part of the Lower Monongahela River Project, the Charleroi Locks process approximately 12 million tons of cargo a year, providing annual benefits of more than $50 million per year in the transport of bulk commodities. The use of the areas three rivers to transport bulk commodities such as coal, significantly reduces the wear and tear on roadways, causes considerably less pollution than other modes of transportation and reduces the cost of electricity.
The Lower Mon Project replaced the nearly 100-year-old fixed-crest dam at Braddock Locks and Dam with a gated dam, will remove Locks and Dam 3 in Elizabeth, and construct two new larger locks (Charleroi Locks) at Locks and Dam 4 in Charleroi.
Pittsburgh District’s 26,000 square miles include portions of western Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia, eastern Ohio, western Maryland and southwestern New York. Our jurisdiction includes 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.
For media inquiries, contact the Public Affairs Office at 412-395-7500 or email: celrp-pa@usace.army.mil.