1 November 2024
In 1944 the US Military Corp of Engineers accomplished a flood management dam throughout the Youghiogheny River that created a lake into Maryland. The venture included a brand new bridge for US Route 40 as a result of the Nice Crossings Bridge at Somerfield could be submerged and so would the city’s low mendacity streets and buildings.
Usually the lake is full and delightful. You’ll by no means know there was a bridge beneath it.
However this yr a drought within the Youghiogheny watershed has lowered the lake to this point that you may stroll out on the outdated Nice Crossings Bridge.
This Google Map exhibits each bridges.
embedded Google Map exhibiting submerged Nice Crossings Bridge north of US Route 40
Pittsburgh shouldn’t be in extreme drought so it’s exhausting to grasp how this lake may drop except you recognize the place the river comes from. The Youghiogheny is a north-flowing river with headwaters within the mountains of West Virginia and Maryland. Discover that the remainder of the Monongahela river basin begins in West Virginia as properly.
The headwaters of each the Youghiogheny and Monongahela have been in drought since early July. At this level the drought is Excessive to Distinctive in western Maryland and West Virginia.
Water ranges have dropped in each rivers however the Monongahela can not afford to get too low as a result of it carries quite a lot of barge and boat site visitors.
Nonetheless, there may be water upstream to feed the Monongahela. Releases from Youghiogheny River Lake have, partially, stored the Mon navigable.
And so the outdated bridge emerges from the deep.
p.s. This isn’t the primary time the outdated bridge has been uncovered.
