With summer unofficially under way and thousands flocking to Downtown Pittsburgh for this week's Three Rivers Arts Festival, something feels a bit off in Point State Park: The 100-foot plume of water is missing from the park's iconic fountain.
“Normally we're rolling by Memorial Day,” said Jeff Anna, assistant regional manager for state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Instead, workers are rebuilding three of the fountain's eight pumps.
State park officials are unsure when the fountain will be fully operational, according to Anna.
Part of the fountain is working, including three shorter decorative water sprays symbolizing the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers that meet at the Point.
Earlier this year, flood waters poured into the fountain and its plaza, depositing at least three species of fish — catfish, carp and walleye — that were ladled out and put back in the river by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, according to Anna.
River water reached the inner ring of the fountain in mid-January when the river level rose to 25 feet. The Point flooded several more times after that.
“We just needed to wait for things to melt down and wait until weather got warmer to assess the damage and mud and debris around the fountain,” he said.
Anna said water got into the fountain's pump lines.
“Generally, we have more time in the spring for start-up to analyze pumps, but this year most of the time was spent on flood cleanup and less on pump maintenance,” he said.
This year's flood cleanup of the Point was the largest since DCNR completed the park's renovation five years ago.
Mary Ann Thomas is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach her at 724-226-4691, mthomas@tribweb.com or via Twitter @MaThomas_Trib.
