Allegheny River locks in Armstrong County closed this weekend

The Allegheny River Development Corp., a Kittanning-based nonprofit that pays to keep the Allegheny River locks open in Armstrong County, announced that Locks 6 through 9 will be closed this weekend.

In 2011, the Army Corps closed the five locks in Armstrong County because of lack of commercial traffic, opening them only for commercial vessels by appointment.

But the ARDC stepped in and cut a unique deal with the Corps, agreeing to pay the Corps to operate four of them on summer weekends and holidays for pleasure boaters.

Those four are: , one in South Buffalo (Clinton lock, No. 6), West Kittanning (No. 7), Boggs (Mosgrove lock, No. 8) and Madison townships (Rimer lock, No. 9).

Brian Szep, vice president of the ARDC, said the closures come as the result of a lack of funds.

On its Facebook page, the nonprofit stated it will release a revised lock schedule for pleasure boater for the rest of the season early next week.

ARDC stated the Armstrong County locks will be open for Labor Day weekend.