Allegheny River advisory continues, locks to remain closed

A recreational boating advisory will remain in effect for the Pittsburgh Point because of swift water until 8 p.m. Friday, while lock No. 5 in Gilpin on the Allegheny River will remain closed until at least Saturday because of high water.

Also because of high and swift water, the Allegheny River Development Corp. and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have decided to keep four locks closed this weekend in the Armstrong County portion of the Allegheny River.

During the summer, ARDC pays to keep open the Armstrong County locks for recreational boaters on weekends, holidays and special events.

“It’s not worth risking anybody’s safety,” ARDC president Linda Hemmes said.

She hopes for better conditions for the upcoming holiday weekend. For up-to-date information on lock hours, visit ARDC’s website: https://www.alleghenyriverdevelopment.org.

Hemmes reported that some docks have been turned sideways on the river in the Kittanning area because the water is running high and is laden with debris.

“I wouldn’t be out on the river,” she said. “It’s simply not safe. The current is very fast.”

Currently, the Allegheny River is running more than three times faster than normal because of a deluge of water from rain, with 2 to 3 inches of rain falling into the Allegheny from Pittsburgh to the Kinzua Dam in Warren County, according to Megan Gottlieb, civil engineer in water management for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh office.

“I would call it ‘above-normal’ conditions but not concerning,” she said.

The water at the Gilpin lock crested Tuesday night with water 5 feet above normal, but it never reached flood stage, Gottlieb said.

The Allegheny likely will continue to be high because of runoff but could start to clear up by the end of the weekend, she said.

The Kiski River is in better shape, according to Gottlieb, running only twice as fast as normal.

Although the boats won’t be there, the show still goes on for Arts on the Allegheny this Saturday, according to Mary Ann Valasek, chairwoman of the Kittanning-based cultural organization that sponsors the free summer concert series.

The water receded from the Murtha amphitheater Thursday along the river in Kittanning, Valasek reported. The Commonheart and opener Dan Bubien & the Delta Struts will hit the stage at 7 p.m. while festivities start at 5 p.m. at Riverfront Park in Kittanning. For more information, visit Arts on the Allegheny’s Facebook page.