Pittsburgh's Rivers Freeze, Keeping Emsworth Locks and Dams Crews Busy

Army Corps of Engineers works around the clock to keep river traffic moving amid icy conditions.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 1:23pm

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With weeks of cold weather and freezing temperatures, the rivers around Pittsburgh are filling with ice, creating challenges for the Army Corps of Engineers' staff at the Emsworth Locks and Dams. The crews are working 24/7 to keep river traffic moving and prevent ice jams that could damage bridges, docks, and boats.

Why it matters

The Emsworth Locks and Dams play a crucial role in maintaining river transportation and commerce in the Pittsburgh region. Keeping the rivers open is essential for the movement of goods like much-needed salt, as well as preventing potential damage to critical infrastructure from ice buildup.

The details

The Army Corps of Engineers' lockmaster Timothy Jones explained that in normal conditions, barges are able to freely flow upriver, but the current ice buildup is causing them to get stuck. The crews are having to use tow boats to pull the barges through the smaller lock chambers. Col. Nicholas Meline said they are closely monitoring the ice thickness and will potentially shut down the locks and dams if it gets too deep to prevent damage to the equipment.

  • The Monongahela River currently has 1 to 3 inches of ice.
  • The Allegheny River is 90% covered with ice that's about 1 to 5 inches thick.

The players

Timothy Jones

Lockmaster for the Army Corps of Engineers at the Emsworth Locks and Dams.

Col. Nicholas Meline

With the Army Corps of Engineers, responsible for making the call to potentially shut down the locks and dams if ice thickness gets too deep.

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What they’re saying

“So in normal conditions, we pull these barges out. They free flow upriver and the guys on the barges stop it with our help.”

— Timothy Jones, Lockmaster (cbsnews.com)

“Right now, he's stuck in ice, so I think what's going to happen is they're going to bring the tow boat through the small chamber and he's going to have to pull his own cut.”

— Timothy Jones, Lockmaster (cbsnews.com)

“We are here to keep traffic moving and we're at the mercy of Mother Nature, really.”

— Timothy Jones, Lockmaster (cbsnews.com)

“It's very important for us to keep track of that because at a certain point we want to potentially shut down our locks and dams to prevent damaging the equipment if the ice thickness gets too deep.”

— Col. Nicholas Meline (cbsnews.com)

What’s next

The Army Corps of Engineers will continue to monitor the ice thickness on the rivers and work with the Coast Guard to determine if and when they need to shut down the locks and dams to prevent damage.

The takeaway

The Emsworth Locks and Dams play a vital role in maintaining river transportation and commerce in the Pittsburgh region, and the crews are working tirelessly to keep the rivers open despite the challenging icy conditions. This highlights the importance of the Army Corps of Engineers' work in adapting to the impacts of extreme weather events.