DVIDS – Video – A History of the Locks and Dam by John P. Murtha

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began construction of Locks and Dam 4 on the Monongahela River near Monessen and Charleroi, Pennsylvania, in 1931. The facility, commonly referred to as the Charleroi Locks and Dam, was first extensively rehabilitated 31 years later in 1963. The work included rebuilding the dam, converting it from a fixed crest to a gated dam and raising the basin’s water level by six feet. The rehabilitation was completed by the USACE in 1967.

The name of the facility was changed to “John P. Murtha Locks and Dam” when the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 authorized the renaming in honor of Congressman Murtha, who represented Pennsylvania’s 12th congressional district and served in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War.

Major construction on the riverfront lock at the Charleroi Locks and Dam was successfully completed in 2024, ushering in a new era in the Ohio River Basin navigation system. The new lock will ensure reliable navigation on the lower Monongahela River for the next century and features innovative technology that paves the way for potential remote operation of the lock in the future. By the end of 2024, the Lower Mon Project is expected to deliver over $200 million in annual benefits to the region and the country, promising a bright and prosperous future.

For more information, see:
https://www.lrp.usace.army.mil/

(Video by the Pittsburgh District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, edited and animated by Stacey Wyzykowski; script and photos provided by Michel Sauret; graphic design by Daniel Jones.)