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| Conemaugh River Lake posted Thank you to everyone that came out to make Dam Day 2024 a success! We had a great day. [Since almost every photo I've seen, which is a lot more than I have included in these notes, has the left-descending outlet open, I wonder why no one has added hydropower to this dam. It has a rather big head.] |
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| USACE |
You have to click the above photo on the USACE wbpage to get to this one.
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The Pittsburgh District manages 16 reservoirs built over several decades to hold back water and reduce the damage of catastrophic floods. Since 1938 when the first dam was built in the region, the Pittsburgh District prevented more than $14 billion in flood damages to homes, businesses and infrastructure. It could have been so much worse: Pittsburgh District staffs and1 of 4 The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District opens four crest gates at the Conemaugh Dam from April 4 through April 6, 2024, to release between 9,800 and 19,000 cubic feet of water per second in Clarksburg, Pennsylvania. Although the release included a large amount of water, it was well within the dam’s and downstream channel’s capacity. The downstream channel can handle a water flow of up to 28,000 cubic feet per second. Conducting a crest gate operation does not constitute an emergency. It is a normal part of the Pittsburgh District’s operations during high water events following heavy rain. The city of Pittsburgh and the surrounding region faced two weeks of back-to-back heavy rain in April that resulted in river levels reaching the Point State Park fountain and submerging streets known as Pittsburgh’s “bathtub.” However, if it had not been for the region’s reservoirs, managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District, flood waters would have reached the entire length of Liberty Avenue, a road stretching across more than 25 city blocks. The Pittsburgh District manages 16 reservoirs built over several decades to hold back water and reduce the damage of catastrophic floods. Since 1938 when the first dam was built in the region, the Pittsburgh District prevented more than $14 billion in flood damages to homes, businesses and infrastructure. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District photo by Michel Sauret) |
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| Facts via USACE |
USACE Pittsburgh District posted five photos with the comment:
🚧 Exciting News from Conemaugh River Lake Dam! 🚧Our team at the Conemaugh project just completed a thorough inspection of all 13 sluice gates!🌟 This comprehensive check-up involved closing all emergency gates and setting the service gates to a 5-foot opening, ensuring everything is in top shape by inspecting the tunnels, air vents, gates, and seals.🛠️ Safety is always our top priority, so we worked closely with the SA Office to ensure all safety measures were in place before starting. This included a detailed safety meeting to cover procedures like Lock Out/Tag Out and confined space entry.🦺 We were thrilled to use new inflatable SAO vessels for the first time, and they proved to be very effective for this kind of work, making our job easier and safer.🛶 After completing the inspection, we held an after-action meeting to discuss best practices and document lessons learned, helping us improve for the future.Thank you to everyone involved for their hard work and dedication!Together, we’re making sure our infrastructure stays strong and safe. 👏
Just the lower outlets are releasing.
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| Shaune, Feb 2024, cropped |
Both the spillway and outlet gates are open.
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| Greg Keefe, Apr 2024, cropped |
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| HistoricPittsburgh Conemaugh Dam is located approximately seven miles from Saltsburg, Pennsylvania. It is one of eight dams built to protect Pittsburgh and the Upper Ohio Valley from flooding. The dam was constructed at a cost of $46.2 million, $25.8 million provided for the relocation of railroad tracks and highways, $13.85 million was spent on building the dam and appurtenances, and the remaining $6.55 million was used to purchase the land for the reservoir. The finances were supplied by the United States federal government, who threatened to cut the construction budget in 1947. The Pittsburgh Chamber of Congress, lead by Chairman A.H. Burchfield and local newspapers and radio stations, launched a successful campaign to save the dam. As a result of their efforts, construction began in April 1949. The dam was officially dedicated on September 18, 1953. |
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| 1:42 video @ 0:18 |
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