U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District

Imagine it’s 1819. You’re standing on the banks of the Ohio River in Pittsburgh, off on a Tuesday adventure and minding your own business - maybe churning butter or wishing you were one of the 12% of the global population able to read or whatever - when a giant, black, scaly sea serpent comes chugging down the river with smoke billowing from its jaws.

You haven't lost your mind (in this very specific instance). You’re just looking at a cool boat.

The Western Engineer was built here in Pittsburgh at the Allegheny Arsenal by Army topographical engineer Major Stephen H. Long and his crew. Maj. Long and his engineers intentionally hid all the machinery and routed the steam exhaust straight through a carved serpent’s head mounted on the bow - allegedly to frighten adversaries, but we can't prove it wasn't because they thought it looked awesome.

"A monster of the deep carrying her on his back," one newspaper reporter wrote at the time.

The vessel was part of the Yellowstone expedition, which was the first scientific expedition funded by the Army Engineers (the title "U.S. Army Corps of Engineers" hadn't caught on yet). The expedition's goal was to map, study, document, and explore the vast area of uncharted land between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains.

So it goes.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District Conemaugh River Lake staff have demonstrated ingenuity and teamwork by completing a major infrastructure project that is projected to save over thousands in Operations and Maintenance funding for the district.

By constructing a 40-by-80-foot storage building instead of hiring a contractor, the staff not only saved more than $125,000 in O&M funding but also significantly improved the protection and longevity of critical maintenance equipment.

FULL STORY HERE: https://www.dvidshub.net/news/566261/conemaugh-river-lake-team-delivers-cost-savings-through-innovation-and-teamwork

What do antique cars, the Easter bunny, relationships, and inland navigation infrastructure built before World War II have in common?

FIND OUT HERE: https://www.dvidshub.net/news/566107/old-locks-new-parts-medium-capacity-fleet-performs-repairs-cw-bill-young-lock-and-dam

📸 by Andrew Byrne

This is a matter of dam importance.

Dams are great for a lot of things: they manage flood control, maintain river levels, provide low-flow augmentation, bolster aquatic life, support water quality, assist municipal water supply, and create recreation opportunities (to name a few).

is on May 31 so we want to remind everyone that while dams pull their weight in mitigating flood risk, no dam 100% risk free.

(Before anyone asks, no, this is not a call to start sleeping in your life jacket…although that is a very fashionable fashion choice to choose.)

Much to a civil engineer's chagrin, colossal concrete walls have little sway in persuading Mother Nature where to dump the next rainfall. That's why the 's 16 reservoirs are strategically placed throughout the region - to maximize their benefits for as many people as possible (in 2024 alone, the district's reservoirs prevented more than $986 million in flood damages across parts of Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia).

But until someone figures out how to get Mother Nature to answer our emails, it's important to keep your safety in mind, such as by:

- Being aware of dams in the areas you live and work
- Finding out how to receive emergency alerts about dam-related incidents
- Building a to-go kit and having an emergency action plan
- Telling your friends and neighbors about nearby dams
- Following signage and barriers, both on water and land, near dams

If you don't know whether a dam is near you, the National Inventory of Dams has data and information on more than 92,000 dams in the United States: https://nid.sec.usace.army.mil/

Happy Weekend, Pittsburgh! As we cap off Safe Boating Week, we're also kicking off the unofficial start of summer.

Many will have the chance to put their safe boating skills to use over the holiday weekend and we urge everyone to stay safe on our waterways. For those about to lock on the region's rivers, we salute you (and here's some info):

All -operated locks are open during normal hours for the holiday across the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers - no schedule changes, no surprises, just smooth sailing (weather permitting, of course)

Allegheny River Locks and Dams:
• Locks 2 & 3: Open daily, 6 a.m. - midnight
• Locks 4 & 5: Open daily, 7 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Monongahela River Locks and Dams:
• Braddock through Point Marion: Open 24/7
• Morgantown: Open daily, 7 a.m. - 5 p.m.
• Hildebrand & Opekiska: By appointment for industry vessels

Ohio River Locks and Dams:
• Emsworth through Hannibal: Open 24/7

Safe boating is the best boating!

Col. Nicholas Melin, Pittsburgh District commander, Port of Pittsburgh Commission, the U.S. Coast Guard, the PA Fish and Boat, and others came together this morning as part of National Safe Boating Week, and the unofficial start of the recreation season the remind river user of the hidden dangers on our three rivers - fixed-crested dams, or low head dams. Whatever you call them, these structures pose a clear and present threat to boaters, kayakers and anglers. The only safe way to navigate them is to know where they are and understand how to use our system of locks. Let’s have an incident free season. All of our partners advise everyone to:
Check maps ahead
Check to weather
Take a safety course
Always wear your life jacket

A critical part of safe boating is wearing a life jacket. Life jackets aren't one-size-fits-all, so it's important to check: is your kid’s life jacket too big?

A quick test: if you can lift the jacket up to their ears, it’s too big. Your child might slip out of their vest if they fall or jump in the water.

A snug, properly-fitted life jacket can make all the difference in keeping your loved ones safe while boating, swimming, or playing around our rivers and lakes.

At the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District, we want every family to enjoy our reservoirs safely. Check the fit, tighten the straps, and double-check before you launch!