Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
28 October 2008
The Army Corps of Engineers in Pittsburgh announced this morning it is taking "urgent measures to address severe erosion" discovered at Allegheny River Lock and Dam No. 6 in Armstrong County.
A recent inspection by divers found the erosion threatens to undermine the stability of the dam at the navigation facility .
"The main concern is the impact a barge collision or ice loads may have on the dam. High river flows may also threaten stability,, " according to a news release.
"We are very concerned that ice collecting on the dam or large chunks of ice slamming into the dam may cause it to fail," said Col. Michael Crall, district engineer for the corps.
The dam is near Clinton in South Buffalo, between Freeport and Ford city.
Officials said there is no immediate threat to public safety and the facility is currently operational. The district has taken measures including round the clock staffing, hourly gauge checks, and local emergency and water management coordination.
A failure of the dam "could have serious impacts for the region. A loss of the pool would shut down commercial and recreational navigation on the river until the dam is replaced or repaired," the news release stated. "Severe water quality degradation for the first week would impact water intakes and sanitary f acilities. A hydropower facility located at the dam may suffer severe damage and cease operations. On of the largest wetlands in the region -- the Cogleys Island Complex downstream of Kittannning, Pa. -- would dry up. It is highly possible that federally listed mussel species could be negatively impacted."
District dam safety officials expected to find erosion at the facility during a periodic inspection, but not too the extent that currently exists. The agency is preparing to seek bids for repair work and plans to have a permanent fix in place before severe winter weather arrives.
More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. First published on October 28, 2008 at 9:31 am