B-Roll: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam

NGB Banner with White Knockout Text & Divider

In crisis? Seeking support is a sign of strength.
24/7 support is available:

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call 988 or click here for live chat.

Veterans Crisis Line: Call 988 and press 1; text 838255; or click here for live chat.

NGB Warrior Resilience and Fitness (WRF) Division facilitates the Joint Suicide Prevention Program. The program
enhances suicide prevention-related policies and training, advances data collection and analysis, expands access to
community resources, and conducts strategic communication outreach aimed at reducing suicidal behavior across the
Army and Air National Guard. To learn more about WRF resources, click here.

DoD/VA RESOURCES

Defense Suicide Prevention Office (DSPO)
DSPO Risks and Warning Signs
DSPO Lethal Means Safety Resources
DSPO Leaders Suicide Prevention Messaging Guide
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Lethal Means Safety Resources
VA Mental Health and Wellness Mobile Apps
VA Confidential Self-Check Quiz

NATIONAL PROGRAMS

Project Safeguard
NG Cares

GOVERNANCE

CNGBI
CNGB DTM 0300.00

NON-CRISIS COUNSELING AND SUPPORT

Military OneSource
Vet Center Call Center
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Helpline
Psychological Health Resource Center Live Chat
inTransition Live Chat
Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors
NG Family Assistance Centers
Vet Centers
Star Behavioral Health Providers
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration FIND Treatment
More
Give an Hour
Cohen Veterans Network
Face the Fight
Avalon Action Alliance
PsychArmor
Operation Mend
Travis Manion Foundation
Directors of Psychological Health (CAC enabled)
More

Video by Michel Sauret

B-Roll: Pittsburgh District completes first demolition on historic Monongahela River dam

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District

July 10, 2024 | 1:13

B-Roll footage of first demolition from multiple camera angles.

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 a restriction zone 1,500 feet up and downstream of the dam.

(U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret / Stacey Wyzykowski / Ian Mckelvey)