Jessica Woodward’s Post

The date is set! July 10! The #PittsburghDistrict has scheduled July 10 as the first controlled demolition date to remove the fixed-crest dam on the #Monongahela River near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania. #WHO: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District (USACE). #WHAT: Conduct a controlled demolition of the first 50-foot section using explosives to breach the dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3. There will be 13 more demolitions on a weekly basis after this first one. #WHERE: Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 #WHEN: Sometime between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The exact time of demolition will depend on river conditions and worksite preparations. #WHY: Removing the dam will create a continuous pool of riverway stretching 30 miles from Charleroi to Braddock, Pennsylvania, improving navigation on the Lower Monongahela River. The following video links illustrate the demolition process. Demolition animation video: https://lnkd.in/eJQXp_jx Braddock Dam demolition video: https://lnkd.in/eJkqxijN Removing the dam is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project. Once complete, the project is expected to bring an economic benefit of $200 million annually, including cost-time savings in transporting commodities through the region using inland navigation and reduced maintenance costs.

New Post: Baltimore begins race to clean up Key Bridge collapse, reopen port -Huge crane ships, thousands of relief workers and millions of dollars headed toward Baltimore on Thursday, as efforts turned from recovery after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge to a massive cleanup that some experts described as unprecedented and highly dangerous. The U.S. Navy deployed several floating cranes, including one that could lift... Huge crane ships, thousands of relief workers and millions of dollars headed toward Baltimore on Thursday, as efforts turned from recovery after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge to a massive cleanup that some experts described as unprecedented and highly dangerous.The U.S. Navy deployed several floating cranes, including one that could lift 1,000 tons, while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said it would send more than 1,100 engineering specialists and other experts to begin removing the hulking debris that has crippled the Port of Baltimore.Federal officials also announced the first relief funds — $60 million sought by Maryland officials — would flow toward disaster recovery just hours after the request was submitted.Top officials with the Corps, which is leading the effort to clear the Patapsco River, described a three step effort to get one of the nation’s largest shipping hubs back online. They are racing to stem the rippling economic fallout from a cargo ship striking the bridge on Tuesday.Teams would first try to clear the shipping channel of the massive steel trusses that block it to allow one-way traffic to begin flowing again into and out of the port. Second, they would lift pieces of the bridge draped across the 985-foot Dali and move it. Finally, they would dredge up concrete and steel that have settled on the river bed.Officials have yet to offer a timeline for how long that process will take, but infrastructure and salvage experts said the cleanup would pose a monumental challenge that includes frigid waters for divers having to cut steal beams and the 764 tons of hazardous materials that remain onboard the Dali.Peter Ford, founder of SkyRock Advisors which provides consulting on infrastructure projects and is a former Merchant Marine, compared the operation to freeing a container ship that became stuck in the Suez Canal in 2021, but perhaps more complex.“This will be highly technical, very difficult and frankly dangerous,” Ford said. “This size of vessel. This size of bridge. All of the span coming down entirely and some of it still on top of a vessel is a situation that I have never read about in my career.”U.S. Coast Guard Rear Adm. Shannon Gilreath laid out a three-step plan on Mar. 28 to reopen the port of Baltimore after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. (Video: The Washington Post)Federal officials have not described in detail how they plan to carry out the clean up mission, but Ford said he thought they would begin by using sonar and other tools to map out where

New Post: Baltimore begins race to clean up Key Bridge collapse, reopen port -Huge crane ships, thousands of relief workers and millions of dollars headed toward Baltimore on Thursday, as efforts turned from recovery after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge to a massive cleanup that some experts described as unprecedented and highly dangerous. The U.S. Navy deployed several floating cranes, including one that could lift... Huge crane ships, thousands of relief workers and millions of dollars headed toward Baltimore on Thursday, as efforts turned from recovery after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge to a massive cleanup that some experts described as unprecedented and highly dangerous.The U.S. Navy deployed several floating cranes, including one that could lift 1,000 tons, while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said it would send more than 1,100 engineering specialists and other experts to begin removing the hulking debris that has crippled the Port of Baltimore.Federal officials also announced the first relief funds — $60 million sought by Maryland officials — would flow toward disaster recovery just hours after the request was submitted.Top officials with the Corps, which is leading the effort to clear the Patapsco River, described a three step effort to get one of the nation’s largest shipping hubs back online. They are racing to stem the rippling economic fallout from a cargo ship striking the bridge on Tuesday.Teams would first try to clear the shipping channel of the massive steel trusses that block it to allow one-way traffic to begin flowing again into and out of the port. Second, they would lift pieces of the bridge draped across the 985-foot Dali and move it. Finally, they would dredge up concrete and steel that have settled on the river bed.Officials have yet to offer a timeline for how long that process will take, but infrastructure and salvage experts said the cleanup would pose a monumental challenge that includes frigid waters for divers having to cut steal beams and the 764 tons of hazardous materials that remain onboard the Dali.Peter Ford, founder of SkyRock Advisors which provides consulting on infrastructure projects and is a former Merchant Marine, compared the operation to freeing a container ship that became stuck in the Suez Canal in 2021, but perhaps more complex.“This will be highly technical, very difficult and frankly dangerous,” Ford said. “This size of vessel. This size of bridge. All of the span coming down entirely and some of it still on top of a vessel is a situation that I have never read about in my career.”U.S. Coast Guard Rear Adm. Shannon Gilreath laid out a three-step plan on Mar. 28 to reopen the port of Baltimore after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. (Video: The Washington Post)Federal officials have not described in detail how they plan to carry out the clean up mission, but Ford said he thought they would begin by using sonar and other tools to map out where

New Post: Baltimore begins race to clean up Key Bridge collapse, reopen port -Huge crane ships, thousands of relief workers and millions of dollars headed toward Baltimore on Thursday, as efforts turned from recovery after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge to a massive cleanup that some experts described as unprecedented and highly dangerous. The U.S. Navy deployed several floating cranes, including one that could lift... Huge crane ships, thousands of relief workers and millions of dollars headed toward Baltimore on Thursday, as efforts turned from recovery after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge to a massive cleanup that some experts described as unprecedented and highly dangerous.The U.S. Navy deployed several floating cranes, including one that could lift 1,000 tons, while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said it would send more than 1,100 engineering specialists and other experts to begin removing the hulking debris that has crippled the Port of Baltimore.Federal officials also announced the first relief funds — $60 million sought by Maryland officials — would flow toward disaster recovery just hours after the request was submitted.Top officials with the Corps, which is leading the effort to clear the Patapsco River, described a three step effort to get one of the nation’s largest shipping hubs back online. They are racing to stem the rippling economic fallout from a cargo ship striking the bridge on Tuesday.Teams would first try to clear the shipping channel of the massive steel trusses that block it to allow one-way traffic to begin flowing again into and out of the port. Second, they would lift pieces of the bridge draped across the 985-foot Dali and move it. Finally, they would dredge up concrete and steel that have settled on the river bed.Officials have yet to offer a timeline for how long that process will take, but infrastructure and salvage experts said the cleanup would pose a monumental challenge that includes frigid waters for divers having to cut steal beams and the 764 tons of hazardous materials that remain onboard the Dali.Peter Ford, founder of SkyRock Advisors which provides consulting on infrastructure projects and is a former Merchant Marine, compared the operation to freeing a container ship that became stuck in the Suez Canal in 2021, but perhaps more complex.“This will be highly technical, very difficult and frankly dangerous,” Ford said. “This size of vessel. This size of bridge. All of the span coming down entirely and some of it still on top of a vessel is a situation that I have never read about in my career.”U.S. Coast Guard Rear Adm. Shannon Gilreath laid out a three-step plan on Mar. 28 to reopen the port of Baltimore after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. (Video: The Washington Post)Federal officials have not described in detail how they plan to carry out the clean up mission, but Ford said he thought they would begin by using sonar and other tools to map out where

New Post: Baltimore begins race to clean up Key Bridge collapse, reopen port -Huge crane ships, thousands of relief workers and millions of dollars headed toward Baltimore on Thursday, as efforts turned from recovery after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge to a massive cleanup that some experts described as unprecedented and highly dangerous. The U.S. Navy deployed several floating cranes, including one that could lift... Huge crane ships, thousands of relief workers and millions of dollars headed toward Baltimore on Thursday, as efforts turned from recovery after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge to a massive cleanup that some experts described as unprecedented and highly dangerous.The U.S. Navy deployed several floating cranes, including one that could lift 1,000 tons, while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said it would send more than 1,100 engineering specialists and other experts to begin removing the hulking debris that has crippled the Port of Baltimore.Federal officials also announced the first relief funds — $60 million sought by Maryland officials — would flow toward disaster recovery just hours after the request was submitted.Top officials with the Corps, which is leading the effort to clear the Patapsco River, described a three step effort to get one of the nation’s largest shipping hubs back online. They are racing to stem the rippling economic fallout from a cargo ship striking the bridge on Tuesday.Teams would first try to clear the shipping channel of the massive steel trusses that block it to allow one-way traffic to begin flowing again into and out of the port. Second, they would lift pieces of the bridge draped across the 985-foot Dali and move it. Finally, they would dredge up concrete and steel that have settled on the river bed.Officials have yet to offer a timeline for how long that process will take, but infrastructure and salvage experts said the cleanup would pose a monumental challenge that includes frigid waters for divers having to cut steal beams and the 764 tons of hazardous materials that remain onboard the Dali.Peter Ford, founder of SkyRock Advisors which provides consulting on infrastructure projects and is a former Merchant Marine, compared the operation to freeing a container ship that became stuck in the Suez Canal in 2021, but perhaps more complex.“This will be highly technical, very difficult and frankly dangerous,” Ford said. “This size of vessel. This size of bridge. All of the span coming down entirely and some of it still on top of a vessel is a situation that I have never read about in my career.”U.S. Coast Guard Rear Adm. Shannon Gilreath laid out a three-step plan on Mar. 28 to reopen the port of Baltimore after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. (Video: The Washington Post)Federal officials have not described in detail how they plan to carry out the clean up mission, but Ford said he thought they would begin by using sonar and other tools to map out where

As I read this WSJ article, I can't help but think of Senator Barkley's accidental disclosure of sensitive information. In the annals of history, Senator Alben W. Barkley's inadvertent disclosure during World War II serves as a profound lesson in the stewardship of strategic assets. Representing Kentucky, Barkley, through a public communication misstep, revealed the superior diving capabilities of American submarines over Japanese torpedoes, inadvertently exposing a crucial advantage in the naval arms race. This episode not only underscores the fragility of strategic advantages but also the paramount importance of safeguarding sensitive information. Barkley's narrative is more than just a cautionary tale; it's a stark reminder of the delicate balance between transparency and operational security, especially concerning national security assets. The revelation brought to light the complexities and potential repercussions of handling classified information, demonstrating how easily strategic advantages can be compromised. This incident, while rooted in a bygone era, remains ever relevant, offering invaluable insights into the stewardship of strategic assets. It compels us to consider the broader implications of information security and the collective responsibility to protect the nation's competitive edges. Barkley's story is a testament to the enduring significance of vigilance, discretion, and the judicious management of information that underpins the safety and efficacy of strategic national assets. #StrategicAssets #InformationSecurity #NationalSecurity #HistoricalInsights #LeadershipLessons #OperationalSecurity https://lnkd.in/gK2EjKiY

How are we removing a dam that has been in the Monongahela River for 117 years? Watch this animated video, which will help explain the process and the impact to navigation. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District will demolish the fixed-crest dam at the Monongahela River Locks and Dam 3 near Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, using a series of controlled blasts and excavators on barges. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' contractor will begin the controlled demolition and subsequent removal of the dam beginning July 10, 2024. This date is subject to change based on weather and river conditions. The controlled demolition will involve explosives, which will restrict navigation activities near the locks and dam facility. Following the initial demolition, the facility will close to waterway traffic for at least three days to allow for the upper and lower pools to level out on the river. Once the river has leveled, all navigation must lock through the landside chamber until the entire dam is removed and the contractors have cleared the construction area. It will take approximately six months and several more controlled demolitions, for the contractors to remove the entire dam until December 2024. Once the contractors have removed the dam and cleared the riverway, all waterway users will be able to navigate through the area without using the lock chambers. The district will begin removing the lock walls in 2025, with the work expected to continue through 2027. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers animation by Jake Pope)

The content of this article, and the direct quotes, exemplify why the Fibrotex ULCANS is the most advanced capability in the world, and why it is critical to modern militaries seeking to fight and win on the modern battlefield. For the USMC in the littoral environment, a game changer. "Due to advances in peer competitor technologies, operating securely in the electromagnetic spectrum is foundational to contested logistics operations. It ensures our ability to sustain forces in adversarial environments, enhancing both our resilience and tactical flexibility,” COL Paul Gillikin, Program Manager for Combat Support Systems, USMC. “This fielding is a leap in camouflage technology, providing nets that conceal equipment and personnel from enemy detection across multiple spectrums, including visible and infrared, and reduce radar visibility,” Theodore Roach, Senior Program Analyst for Shelters, Combat Field Feeding , and Containers Programs "The advent of ULCANS marks a pivotal advancement in the realm of military camouflage, setting new standards for operational stealth and efficiency as the future fight continues to move into the electromagnetic spectrum. By melding cutting-edge technology with strategic interoperability, this system not only enhances the survivability of forward-deployed forces but also fortifies the broader framework of expeditionary logistics. As the geopolitical landscape continues to shift, the integration of innovations like ULCANS will be crucial in maintaining tactical supremacy and shaping the future force" Johannes Schmidt, Marine Corps Systems Command For more information on Fibrotex systems in Australia and New Zealand contact Dan Skinner or Andrew Jiear Simon Stuart Jason Blain, DSC, AM, CSC Colin Bassett David Hood Rod Ward

AND the day came when all your hard worked saved the day.. the country! TO date we have stopped construction litigation, modifications, and turned over organized data supporting facilities driving efficency. TODAY is our big meeting with US Army Corps of Engineers one giant step for mankind and one giant step for efficiency! MySmartPlans - Litigation Proof Construction Technology

Corrosion in naval vessels and infrastructure is a costly problem affecting operational readiness. The American Society of Naval Engineers hosts MegaRust, an annual conference bringing together experts to discuss the latest developments and challenges in corrosion control. Check out this awesome write-up by Neil Thompson covering AMPP: Association for Materials Protection and Performance's presence at #MegaRust2024! Read now: https://ow.ly/9hge50S8z0N #NavalEngineering #CorrosionControl #AMPP #MegaRust