USACE removes sediment from river channels designed to safeguard Johnstown

Two excavators are loading soil into dump trucks at the bottom of the Conemaugh River, said USACE. One load at a time, the trucks are removing sediment and vegetation to restore the Johnstown Local Flood Protection Project, safeguarding lives and property.

With each scoop, the work uncovers more of the sloped concrete walls hidden beneath the patches of forest that have overgrown the channel in recent decades.

“Doing this work may not look pretty, going from nature to concrete, but it is a necessary restoration to avoid repeating historical catastrophes that cost many lives and destroyed property,” said Tim Resciniti, the project engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District.

The Army Corps completed the channel in the early 1940s after two major floods hit Johnstown in less than 50 years.

When trees and vegetation grow in the channel, they can bottleneck water flow and cause the system to fail.

“The project’s primary goal is to ensure the flood protection system keeps the community safe,” said Patrick Moore, the project manager for the Pittsburgh District. “Built-up sediment and vegetation impede flood-reduction capabilities, so clearing them is essential for safety.”

The Pittsburgh District is in the fourth year of a five-year cleanup effort. The current phase focuses on two miles of river, removing up to 28,000 cubic yards of soil between now and early next year.