Locks & Dams
Locks and dams make inland waterway navigation possible.
Without the 16 sets of locks and dams in the Pittsburgh Port District, waterborne commerce would not be possible. Each lock and dam is owned, operated, and maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Locks
Many of the locks in the port district are well past their 50-year life span–some approaching 100 years old. The cargo that moves through the port district transits an average of three locks. The locks on the Allegheny River see an average of about 4 million tons of activity per year. The Monongahela River locks handle about 54 million tons per year, and the Ohio River sees an average of 50 million tons of activity per year.
All of the Allegheny River locks are single chamber. The Monongahela River has 3 double chamber and 2 single chamber locks. All of the Ohio River locks are double chamber.
In August 2024, following the completion of the new Charleroi locks, the Elizabeth dam was demolished creating a continuous 30 mile long navigation pool between Braddock and Charleroi.
Dams
Gated dams enable the operator to make minor adjustments to the rate of flow, although they are not designed for flood control. Fixed crest dams means the water flows freely over a concrete abutment.
There are 8 dams on the Allegheny River, all of which are fixed crest. The Monongahela River has five dams, all of which are gated, and the Ohio River has one fixed crest dam and two gated dams.
