Army Corps secures $750,000 to fix sinkholes at Natrona lock and dam site

The federal headquarters of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released $750,000 in its work plan to the Pittsburgh District to fix sinkholes on the grounds of its Natrona lock and dam on the Allegheny River in Harrison.

The money is part of an additional $57.4 million disbursement for the civil works program given to the Pittsburgh District, which also includes a $22 million infusion for the Corps $2.6 billion upper Ohio River locks project.

“This is huge for the region,” said Col. Andrew “Coby” Short, commander.

The Corps is ready to aggressively move forward with its Ohio River locks and other projects this year for its inland navigation system, he said.

The project at the Natrona lock and dam will study and come up with a plan to permanently fix extensive sinkholes and voids at the site, said Carol Vernon, the Corps Pittsburgh spokeswoman.

Water escaping from faulty storm water drainage pipes has caused excess water under parts of the Corps site. The agency has been installing new drainage pipes to redirect the storm water to the river, Vernon said.

She didn’t have details on the size of and nature of the sink holes but said temporary repairs have already been made to property.

The sinkholes have not affected Corps operations or impacted residents on a nearby property, she said.

“The $750,000 will pay for geotechnical research to pinpoint where the drainage problems are occurring and to come up with a design for a permanent fix,” she said. Money has not yet been allocated for the permanent repair project, Vernon said.

The Corps Pittsburgh District covers more than 328 miles of navigable waterways, 23 navigation locks and dams, 16 multi-purpose reservoirs, 42 local flood protection projects and other projects in portions of western Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia, eastern Ohio, western Maryland, and southwestern New York.