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Upper Ohio
Navigation Study
Kevin Logan
Project Manager
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The Upper Ohio
Navigation Study will determine the best plan for improving the upper Ohio
River navigation system, specifically the
Emsworth,
Dashields and
Montgomery
Locks and Dams.
Emsworth, Dashields and Montgomery, the first three locks and dams on the
Ohio River just below The Point in Pittsburgh, were built prior to World War
II and
are the
oldest structures with the smallest lock chambers in the Ohio River system.
This feasibility
study will address their structural condition, capacity, environmental
issues and the corresponding economic benefits and costs to determine the
best plan for improving the navigation system.
Findings and recommendations from the recently released draft
Ohio River Mainstem Systems Study will
provide substantial background information from a system-wide perspective to
this site-specific navigation feasibility study. The Upper Ohio Navigation
Study is expected to be completed in three to five years.
Authority
Authority was provided through a resolution adopted by the U.S. House of
Representatives, Committee on Public Works and Transportation, adopted March
11, 1982, which reads as follows:
Resolved by the Committee on Public Works and Transportation of the House of
Representatives, United States, that the Board of Engineers for Rivers and
Harbors established by Section 3 of the River and Harbor Act, approved June
13, 1902, is hereby requested to review the reports on the Ohio River
published as House Document No. 492, 60th Congress, First
Session, and house Document No. 306, Seventy-fourth Congress, First Session,
and other pertinent reports with a view to determine whether any
modification in the authorized plan for modern barge navigation and other
purposes on the Ohio River is advisable at this time with particular
emphasis on the need for improvement or replacement of Emsworth Locks and
Dams, Ohio River Mile 6.1; Dashields Locks and Dam, Ohio River Mile 13.3;
Montgomery Island Locks and Dam, Ohio River Mile 31.7; and other locations
where obsolete or inadequate facilities impede the orderly flow of commerce.
Capacity and Condition
Two
major problems are associated with the upper Ohio River navigation system –
structural condition and inadequate lock capacity for modern navigation
tows. Emsworth, Dashields and Montgomery Locks and Dams have been in
operation for 79, 71 and 64 years, respectively, and are nearing the end of
their useful life. Built prior to air-entrained concrete, all three
structures experience structural condition fatigue of the concrete causing
unreliable structural capacity of the lock walls. Also, none of the
structures meet modern design criteria.
Additionally, the lock chamber sizes (110’ x 600’ main chamber and 56’ x
360’ auxiliary chamber) are now well below the size required to accommodate
the larger, more powerful modern tows that lock through the 110’ x 1200’
locks on the lower Ohio River. Many tows have to “double-lock” through the
upper Ohio River locks’ main chambers, which consumes additional time and
causes additional wear and tear on both the lock structure and operating
machinery. These undersized lock chambers increase economic inefficiencies
and, therefore, increase consumer costs. The economic justification for
construction of larger locks will be evaluated in this feasibility study.
The
Emsworth locks have been operational since 1922 while the original dams were
rebuilt into gated structures and have been operational since 1938.
Dashields and Montgomery Locks and Dams have been in operation since 1929
and 1936, respectively. The condition problems at these facilities were
temporarily addressed during major rehabilitation projects at Emsworth,
Dashields and Montgomery Locks and Dams undertaken in the 1980s and early
1990s. These efforts were only intended as stop-gap measures designed to
extend the useful life of the structures for an additional 25 years. Given
the affects of weathering and age on the projects, there were concerns over
their continued reliability. Anchoring and other temporary solutions were
implemented in an attempt to extend their life until more permanent repairs
could be evaluated and implemented. Thus, the rehabilitation program was
kept limited in scope and was guided by expediency in light of lock closure
time constraints, costs or feasibility.
Many known problems were
only corrected in part; others were left untouched because repairs were
found to be non-feasible, and others similarly were left uncorrected because
they were considered not critical. As an example, deteriorated concrete was
left in place instead of being removed and was mostly covered over. Thus,
while the surface appearance of the locks, particularly the top of the lock
walls, appears in good condition, hidden below that surface are most of the
problems that existed before the major rehabilitation efforts. It is
further noted that the 25-year time period of the
major rehabilitation for Emsworth, Dashields and Montgomery will end in
2010, 2015 and 2014, respectively.
Public
Involvement
Scoping meetings provide an initial opportunity for the public to express
their views and concerns and ensure their interests are considered. A
the study progresses, the Corps invites continuing public participation to
promote open communication and more informed decision-making. The
Corps will maintain a project mailing list and will distribute periodic
updates, announcements and notices of study document availability.
Public
comments are welcome throughout the study process. Formal
opportunities for public participation during the feasibility study include
attendance at public meetings, correspondence, e-mail and review and comment
on the draft and final versions of the Environmental Impact Statement.
Comments or requests to be placed on the study mailing list can be mailed
to: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Pittsburgh District; ATTN:
Conrad Weiser; 2200 William S. Moorhead Federal Building; 1000 Liberty
Avenue; Pittsburgh, PA 15222-4186 or e-mail to
ohiorivernfs.usace.army.mil. |