Lock and dam removal is part of broader effort to modernize Monongahela River, key for region’s economy and community recreation
Miscalculations about river depth during project have limited commercial barge traffic, costing millions per week
The river must be at least nine feet deep for commercial barges to navigate it safely
Members of Congress: “We […] call on USACE to prioritize the return of the nine foot draft […] Any additional delays will have steep economic costs for Southwestern Pennsylvania”
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Representatives Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA-14), Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17) and Summer Lee (D-PA-12) raised concerns about shallow levels at the Elizabeth Locks on the Monongahela (Mon) River. Miscalculations about the projected navigable depth during the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) ongoing project to remove the locks and dams have caused significant limitations on local boat and barge traffic. Currently, the water is too shallow for many commercial barges to navigate through the lock at full capacity, leading to reduced freight volumes and significantly costing the local economy. The Members urged the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to urgently act to fix the water depth issues to allow the river to continue supporting Southwestern Pennsylvania’s economy.
The Members wrote, “We continue to call on USACE to prioritize the return of the nine-foot draft for commercial barge traffic and request the Corps provide ongoing updates to the regional inland waterway community. Any additional delays will have steep economic costs for Southwestern Pennsylvania. Keeping this waterway safe and navigable in the long run is critical to the region’s economy and way of life.”
The removal of the Elizabeth Locks and Dam is part of a broader effort to modernize the Monongahela River, a key waterway for Southwestern Pennsylvania’s economy and community recreation. Earlier this summer, USACE began the dam removal project, with help from the U.S. Coast Guard to keep the river safe and navigable during the project.
Unfortunately, due to a miscalculation about the projected depth of the water in the lock chamber, commercial barges cannot navigate the Mon River at standard capacity. Senators Casey and Fetterman and Representatives Reschenthaler, Deluzio, and Lee raised alarms to the Corps after hearing that the water levels in the Elizabeth Locks are too shallow to accommodate traditional commercial vessels. The Members urged USACE to prioritize the restoration of the nine foot draft and provide ongoing updates about the project’s status. They also reminded USACE about the steep economic costs of delaying this project.
Senator Casey has fought repeatedly to improve and rehabilitate Southwestern Pennsylvania’s waterways, including securing over $857 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) for the replacement of the Montgomery Locks and Dam along the Ohio River. In July, Senator Casey and Congressman Deluzio urged the U.S. Coast Guard to work with USACE to enforce a safety zone on the Monongahela River during the locks and dam removal project. Casey also successfully advocated to include the Monongahela River as part of the U.S. Marine Highway System, which created new opportunities to benefit Southwestern Pennsylvania economies. Senator Casey voted to pass critical legislation including IIJA and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that support critical infrastructure investments along Southwestern Pennsylvania’s waterways to promote clean energy investments and support economies formerly dependent on fossil fuels.
Read the letter HERE or below:
Dear Lieutenant General Spellmon,
We write regarding our concerns with the impact of the dam removal process at Locks and Dam (LD) 3 on the Monongahela River near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania. As you are aware, there was a miscalculation of the projected interim water depth in the lock following the partial demolition of the dam by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). This misestimate has resulted in significant limitations on commercial barge traffic along the Monongahela (Mon) River. The Mon River is a vital corridor for commercial barge traffic and recreational boating and the limited depth of water in the lock continues to have adverse economic impacts on local businesses and residents who rely on the river. While we understand the USACE is working to create a navigable path that can accommodate standard vessel depths, we write today to emphasize the need for USACE to act with urgency to rectify the issue on or before the Corps’ internal deadline of August 28, 2024.
In 1992, Congress authorized the Lower Monongahela River Project, which includes the conversion of LD 2 (Braddock) into a gated dam, the removal of LD 3 (Elizabeth), and the new navigation lock at LD 4 (Charleroi). After years of delays and cost overruns, the project is near completion and is projected to boost our regional economy by $200 million annually.
As a part of the modernization project, the USACE conducted their first controlled demolition to remove the dam on the river near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, on July 10, 2024. Following the controlled demolition, the water level in the lock was too shallow to accommodate traditional commercial vessels. This insufficient water depth required the Corps to impose navigation restrictions that have scrambled barge traffic creating delays and trapping vessels above the lock, reduced the raw amount of commodities carried on many barges that do move through the lock by 25 percent, and cost industry several millions of dollars per week by early estimates.
To date, USACE has been responsive to federal officials and staff, local stakeholders, and industry partners in the aftermath of this incident. We continue to call on USACE to prioritize the return of the nine-foot draft for commercial barge traffic and request the Corps provide ongoing updates to the regional inland waterway community. Any additional delays will have steep economic costs for Southwestern Pennsylvania. Keeping this waterway safe and navigable in the long run is critical to the region’s economy and way of life. At a later date, we look forward to a candid discussion of how this and other similar problems may be prevented in the future, but at present an immediate solution is our number one priority.
We trust you will continue to prioritize restoring the water to a depth that will accommodate the standard nine-foot draft on the Mon River and ask you keep our offices, industry, and other stakeholders apprised of your progress.
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