Allegheny County PA : 01-22-18 - Emergency Services Update on Ice Jams and Possible Flooding Events

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 22, 2018

Contact:

Amie M. Downs 412-350-3711 (office) 412-327-3700 (cell)[e-mail]

Emergency Services Update on Ice Jams and Possible Flooding Events

PITTSBURGH - Matt Brown, Chief of Emergency Services, provided the following update this morning regarding ice jams on the rivers and possible flooding events. As noted previously, Allegheny County Emergency Services (ACES) is working closely with the US Army Corps of Engineers, the US Coast Guard, and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency to continue monitoring the situation.

"There were no drastic changes of conditions on any of the three rivers from Friday through today. Most ice has flowed smoothly, remained in place with a slow rot from raised temperatures, or remains jammed.

"Conditions at the Emsworth Lock and Dam on the Ohio River are greatly improved. The barges have been removed and locked through ice all weekend. Several barges remain impacted to the upriver side of the dam. One barge continues to jam Gate 8. This will possibly be worked on to salvage today. There are limited lockages of vessels being permitted by the US Coast Guard at this time. They believe that all barges, including those sunken, have been accounted for through the use of side scan sonar. Salvage operations continue to safely retrieve each barge.

"The National Weather Service reports that the weather pattern will include 7/10s of an inch of rain for the region today. River levels do not appear to have been greatly impacted by snow melt and run off. Some levels have risen one (1) foot. The weather forecast calls for continued seasonal temperatures at or above freezing during the days, and below freezing in the evenings, once the current front passes.

"All ice jams on the Ohio and the Allegheny rivers remain unpredictable and dangerous. Ice movement can occur at any time. The public is reminded to use extreme caution in ice jam areas and those in the low-lying areas of the rivers and tributaries should continue to monitor changing weather conditions and warnings of potential rising waters.

"Allegheny County Emergency Services has not received any reports of flooding or ice-jam associated traffic, and stands ready to assist local emergency management coordinators and responders, as needed."

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Matthew J. Brown, CEM, CFPS, Chief

Department of Emergency Services

911 Communications │Emergency Management │ Emergency Medical Services │Fire Academy │Fire Marshal 400 North Lexington Street │ Pittsburgh, PA 15208

Phone: [phone] │Fax: [phone]www.alleghenycounty.us

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