The removal of the Gorge Dam is taking another step toward reality with sediment removal to begin this fall. The removal is more than a decade in the making and includes more than 50 agencies, businesses and organizations.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, the city of Akron, FirstEnergy and the Ohio EPA previously signed a more than $100 million agreement in 2023 to remove nearly 900,000 cubic yards of sediment that sits behind the dam, which has to be removed before the dam can come down.
The dam has been blocking the free flow of the Cuyahoga River and a naturally occurring waterfall since 1911, when it was built to produce hydro and steam-powered electricity. It's one of the largest unresolved water quality problems for the Cuyahoga River and taking it down is vital to restoring the health of the river, according to Free the Falls, a stakeholder committee dedicated to removing the dam. The value of removing the dam will far outweigh the cost, the group says.
"We're very blessed to get the funding to get this done, and I know it was a little shaky for a minute there," Cuyahoga Falls Mayor Don Walters said. "But it's all going to happen. We're very blessed. We can't wait for it to come down."
About 65% of the project's funding is coming from the federal government, Courtney Winter with the U.S. EPA said, which has caused concern from officials and residents amidst massive cuts to federal funding.
"I'm not going to speculate future decisions on future funding, but right now, the Great Lakes National Program Office supports this project," she said. "And that's why we're moving forward."
The Great Lakes National Program Office, under the U.S. EPA, is overseeing the sediment removal project, with Sevenson Environmental Services Inc. contracted to complete the project, Winter said.
"That's expected to occur through 2027. [That's] s when we're expecting dredging to occur and 2028 is when the restoration activities will take place," she said.
The nearly 900,000 cubic yards of sediment will be remediated and placed in a disposal area starting in the fall, Sevenson Project Manager Charles Stein said.
"That much sediment comes with a price tag," Winter said. "The Great Lakes Legacy Act Remedial Action Project costs just greater than $130 million."
Once the sediment is removed, it will be placed in the Chuckery Area of Cascade Valley Metro Park, covered in native material and contoured to look similar to nearby areas.
Akron is spearheading the removal of the dam with funds from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
"We're looking at dam removal happening in 2028 and 2029. The dam removal will take two years," Heather Ullinger with the city of Akron said. "We can only lower the water level 1 foot per week, so that allows the banks to remain stable while the operation is happening. So that's why that process is so slow."
Parts of Gorge Metro Park will begin to be closed starting June 2, as Sevenson begins work in the area, according to the Metro Parks.
Summit Metro Parks will be working on the park while it's closed.
