Muddy tint to Monongahela River

The Monongahela River flows beneath the Elizabeth Bridge Tuesday afternoon. Area residents may have noticed the river looking muddier than usual this week following heavy rainfall and flooding in West Virginia. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Pittsburgh District said the river’s headwaters and upper reaches received heavy rainfall, resulting in high inflows, runoff and sediment turnover. That likely washed additional sediment into the river because of the region’s natural geology. The corps said the level of turbidity is typical after major rain events. The increased sediment has not affected navigation on the river, with all navigation facilities, including locks and dams, operating normally. Jeff Helsel / Mon Valley Independent