Y--Emsworth Main Channel Dam Rehabilitation, Emsworth, PA

The Emsworth Main Channel Dam Rehabilitation project, managed by the Department of Defense through the W072 Endist Pittsburgh office, involves extensive structural and mechanical upgrades to the Emsworth Locks and Dams on the Ohio River in Pennsylvania. The primary scope of work includes the replacement of seven vertical lift gates and the modification of one existing gate, along with the installation of new operating machinery, electrical systems, and controls. This process entails fabricating three new gates, installing several government-furnished units, removing outdated hoist machinery and houses, modifying dam piers, and constructing new machinery houses to accommodate direct lift hydraulic cylinder equipment. The gates involved are approximately 100 feet long, 14 feet high, and weigh roughly 93 tons each. In addition to the base requirements, the contract includes awardable options for abutment repair and scour protection. Abutment work consists of stabilizing the existing structure using a combination of steel pipe piles, sheet pile walls, and rock anchors. Scour protection efforts involve dredging and removing existing derrick and graded stone to install a new system featuring geogrid, stone bedding, and grout-filled fabric bags, complemented by a cast-in-place concrete tie-in structure at the dam apron. Solicited under solicitation number W911WN08B0007 and NAICS code 237990, the project underwent a competitive bidding process in June 2008 with participants including Joseph B. Fay Co., OCCI, Inc, and American Bridge Company.