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

By Michel SauretJuly 17, 2024

A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
1 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – 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.

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 Stacey G. Wyzykowski) (Photo Credit: Stacey G. Wyzykowski)
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A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
2 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – 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.

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 Stacey G. Wyzykowski) (Photo Credit: Stacey G. Wyzykowski)
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A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
3 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – 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) (Photo Credit: Michel Sauret)
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A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
4 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – 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 Credit: Michel Sauret)
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A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
5 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – 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 Credit: Michel Sauret)
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A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
6 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – 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 Credit: Michel Sauret)
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A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
7 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – 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 Credit: Michel Sauret)
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A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
8 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – 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 Credit: Michel Sauret)
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A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
9 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – 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 Credit: Michel Sauret)
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A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
10 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – 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 Credit: Michel Sauret)
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A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
11 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – 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) (Photo Credit: Michel Sauret)
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A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
12 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – 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) (Photo Credit: Michel Sauret)
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A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
13 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – 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) (Photo Credit: Michel Sauret)
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A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
14 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – 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 Credit: Michel Sauret)
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A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
15 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – 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 Credit: Michel Sauret)
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A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
16 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – 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 Credit: Michel Sauret)
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A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
17 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – 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.

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 Credit: Michel Sauret)
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A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
18 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – 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 Credit: Michel Sauret)
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A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
19 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – 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.

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 Credit: Michel Sauret)
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A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
20 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – 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) (Photo Credit: Michel Sauret)
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A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
21 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – 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) (Photo Credit: Michel Sauret)
VIEW ORIGINAL
A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
22 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – 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 Credit: Dan Jones)
VIEW ORIGINAL
A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
23 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – 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) (Photo Credit: Michel Sauret)
VIEW ORIGINAL
A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
24 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – 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 Credit: Michel Sauret)
VIEW ORIGINAL
A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
25 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – 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) (Photo Credit: Michel Sauret)
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A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
26 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – 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) (Photo Credit: Michel Sauret)
VIEW ORIGINAL
A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
27 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – 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) (Photo Credit: Dan Jones)
VIEW ORIGINAL
A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
28 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – 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 Frank J. Strumila) (Photo Credit: Frank Strumila)
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A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
29 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A crane moves the cinder blocks to remove it self from the blast area as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District prepares to perform 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 Frank J. Strumila) (Photo Credit: Frank Strumila)
VIEW ORIGINAL
A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
30 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A boat waits in the river to see the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District to perform 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 Frank J. Strumila) (Photo Credit: Frank Strumila)
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A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
31 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Onlookers wait on a decomissioned pump station for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District to perform 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 Frank J. Strumila) (Photo Credit: Frank Strumila)
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A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
32 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Onlookers watch from the bridge moments before 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 Frank J. Strumila) (Photo Credit: Frank Strumila)
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A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
33 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Contractors and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District staff check the breach after a controlled explosion on 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 Frank J. Strumila) (Photo Credit: Frank Strumila)
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A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
34 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District use 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 Frank J. Strumila) (Photo Credit: Frank Strumila)
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A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
35 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Recreational vessels fought the wind and the waves to see 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 Frank J. Strumila) (Photo Credit: Frank Strumila)
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A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
36 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Contractors and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District staff check the breach after a controlled explosion on 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 Frank J. Strumila) (Photo Credit: Frank Strumila)
VIEW ORIGINAL
A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
37 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Contractors and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District staff check the breach after a controlled explosion on 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 Frank J. Strumila) (Photo Credit: Frank Strumila)
VIEW ORIGINAL
A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
38 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Contractors and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District staff check the breach after a controlled explosion on 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 Frank J. Strumila) (Photo Credit: Frank Strumila)
VIEW ORIGINAL
A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
39 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District perform 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 Frank J. Strumila) (Photo Credit: Frank Strumila)
VIEW ORIGINAL
A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
40 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Recreational vessels fought the wind and the waves to see 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 Frank J. Strumila) (Photo Credit: Frank Strumila)
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A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
41 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District commander, Col. Nicholas Melin and staff ride back to shore after the 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 Frank J. Strumila) (Photo Credit: Frank Strumila)
VIEW ORIGINAL
A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
42 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A tow boat locks through Elizabeth Locks and Dam to get another barge in position before 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 Frank J. Strumila) (Photo Credit: Frank Strumila)
VIEW ORIGINAL
A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
43 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Smoke fills the air shortly after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District perform 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 Frank J. Strumila) (Photo Credit: Frank Strumila)
VIEW ORIGINAL
A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
44 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – 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 Frank J. Strumila) (Photo Credit: Frank Strumila)
VIEW ORIGINAL
A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
45 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Onlookers wait in anticipation for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District to perform 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 Frank J. Strumila) (Photo Credit: Frank Strumila)
VIEW ORIGINAL
A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
46 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Contractors and U.S. Arrmy Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District move up to the breach point of 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 Frank J. Strumila) (Photo Credit: Frank Strumila)
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A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
47 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Ducks find cover in some brush before 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 Frank J. Strumila) (Photo Credit: Frank Strumila)
VIEW ORIGINAL
A blast from the past: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam
48 / 48 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Boaters fought the wind and the waves to see 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 Frank J. Strumila) (Photo Credit: Frank Strumila)
VIEW ORIGINAL

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District used controlled explosives to successfully 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 the district by establishing a restriction zone 1,500 feet up and downstream of the dam.