Monongahela River dredging paused

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Pittsburgh District has paused dredging on the Monongahela River to avoid disrupting the fish spawning season.

In the Monongahela River, many fish species, including bass, spawn during the spring months, with hybrid striped bass being most active between mid-April and late May.

The Monongahela River dredging project kicked off last September. The work is necessary because the pool level dropped approximately two feet after the Pittsburgh District removed the navigation dam near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania in 2024.

The project aims to restore up to ten feet of depth along the river in specific shallow areas to allow navigation industries to transport bulk commodities through the region.

USACE expects dredging to continue in late spring or possibly early summer.