Brecksville Dam Removal

After more than a decade of research and planning, funding was secured for the removal of the Brecksville Dam—one of the final two dams impeding the natural flow of the Cuyahoga River. The project marks a major milestone in the ongoing restoration of this historic waterway.

According to Friends of the Crooked River, the original structure at the site was the Pinery Feeder Dam, built in 1827 to divert water from the Cuyahoga into the Ohio & Erie Canal. While it served industrial purposes at the time, the diversion posed long-term consequences: it created a safety hazard for paddlers and disrupted the river’s natural flow, harming aquatic ecosystems and limiting habitat connectivity.

The dam’s removal is paired with targeted habitat restoration to help revive the river’s ecological health. This success is the result of a broad collaboration among several agencies and advocacy groups, including the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Park Service, and Friends of the Crooked River.

Together, these efforts are restoring the Cuyahoga River’s natural character—improving safety, reestablishing wildlife habitat, and paving the way for a healthier, more connected river system.

Ecological Insight from Jennifer Grieser

Jennifer Grieser, Director of Natural Resources for Cleveland Metroparks and Chair of the Cuyahoga River Area of Concern, highlights the transformative impact of removing the Brecksville Dam. She explains that freeing the river from this long-standing barrier restores natural flow, unlocks reproductive habitats for fish, and reclaims river ecosystems impaired for decades.

Her leadership in the effort reflects a broader mission: reconnecting the watershed upstream to downstream, enhancing habitat continuity, and preserving the river corridor as a dynamic resource for wildlife and people alike.