AKRON, Ohio – The century-old Gorge Dam has been eyed for demolition by local and federal officials for many years.
Straddling the Cuyahoga River between Akron and Cuyahoga Falls, the 58-foot-high, 425-foot-wide chunk of concrete in the Gorge Metro Park is the last and largest dam standing in a series that once lined the river from the city of Kent to Akron.
Removal of the dam would let the river and migratory fish move freely again, helping the Cuyahoga River return to a more natural, healthier state, officials said.
Taking down the dam also would positively impact economic development, opening up 2.5 miles of continuous Class III to Class V whitewater, drawing kayaking enthusiasts and supporting new watersports businesses in the area, officials have said.
Historic photos of the river before the dam was built in 1913 reveal the multi-tiered waterfalls known as “Big Falls,” which spanned the width of the Cuyahoga River.
Prior to the pandemic, a committee comprising Ohio EPA, the city of Akron, Summit Metro Parks, FirstEnergy and the city of Cuyahoga Falls hosted a series of public input meetings to keep the community apprised of developments, while aspects of dam and sediment removal were studied.
Public interest in the dam’s removal has been high, and many of community meetings were filled.
Officials are ready once again to provide the community with a project-status update, which will be presented by Summit Metro Parks, the U.S. EPA and other stakeholders, Summit Metro Parks said in a release.
The public meeting is set for 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Monday, Oct. 31 at the Cuyahoga Falls Natatorium, 2345 4th St. in Cuyahoga Falls. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.
According to Metro Parks, the city of Akron is engineering the dam removal while U.S. EPA is designing the sediment management aspect of the project. Both are funded through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, with matching funds from the state of Ohio.
A U.S. EPA study conducted from 2009-2011 found that the 832,000 cubic yards of sediment behind the dam could not be discharged downstream but it could be removed without requiring special disposal.
In February, President Joe Biden called out the Gorge Dam project while speaking in Lorain, Ohio about how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act would impact the Great Lakes Region.
The president acknowledged the need to remove the dam to improve the health of the Cuyahoga River.
In early 2019, Gorge Dam stakeholders presented a plan to take down the dam over four years, during a public meeting at the Falls Natatorium. Pre-pandemic, the estimated cost of the project was $65-$70 million, but some officials say the project costs will be much higher now.
