The latest efforts to Free the Falls
Mike Johnson, Chief of Conservation
Visitors to Cascade Valley Metro Park will notice the Peck Road entrance, which leads to the renowned Signal Tree, is closed. This closure will continue for the next few years to accommodate two major water quality improvement projects: the Northside Interceptor Tunnel (NSIT) and Gorge Dam removal, also known as the initiative to “Free the Falls.” The NSIT project is a City of Akron initiative and is part of its ongoing efforts to improve Cuyahoga River water quality and prevent untreated sewage from entering the water. The Gorge Dam removal project includes preparing the sediment placement area, removing and disposing of contaminated sediment, and deconstructing the dam.
As planning for the NSIT and Free the Falls projects has materialized into tangible progress, the landscape in Cascade Valley Metro Park has transitioned into a construction zone. While park visitors anxiously await the thrill of a free flowing river through Gorge Metro Park’s geological splendor, environmentalists anticipate vast improvement to the physical, biological and chemical integrity of the Cuyahoga, the construction vehicles that will make it all possible are rumbling through the park.
While the NSIT project construction continues, an even bigger water quality improvement project is just beginning. After years of intensive planning and collaborative efforts to remove the Gorge Dam, the U.S. EPA secured funding to implement the sediment management portion of the project. Summit Metro Parks prepared the sediment placement site by clearing a 40-acre area adjacent to Peck Road. The City of Akron will structure this site so it can receive the sediment. Once site preparations are complete and the contractor’s schedule is accepted, sediment from the dam pool will be pumped to this location, stabilized, capped with native soil and reforested.
Closure of affected park areas ensures public safety and site security during these multi-year infrastructure initiatives. Upon completion, the region will have a renewed park and river to explore. The Signal Tree will be protected during this process and will remain in place post-construction. Summit Metro Parks will be planning for this exciting future with public input. Please visit bit.ly/freethefalls for the latest project information.
For more stories like this, check out Green Islands magazine, a bi-monthly publication from Summit Metro Parks. Summit County residents can sign up to receive the publication at home free of charge.
