Removing the Brecksville Diversion Dam

An aerial view of the Brecksville Diversion Dam, taken in 2009 and looking west.

NPS/Tim Fenner

For almost 200 years, a dam in the Cuyahoga River has diverted water into the Ohio & Erie Canal near Station Road. First was the Pinery Feeder Dam, built in 1827 as part of canal construction. Next was the Brecksville Diversion Dam, completed in 1952 to provide water to the American Steel and Wire Company.

In mid 2020, both dams were removed after about 30 years of collaboration among many regional partners. The purpose is to improve the health of the Cuyahoga River, a Great Lakes Area of Concern. Dams harm fish habitat, change water temperatures, and alter the natural flow of water and sediment through our waterways. By removing these two dams, we can help wildlife to recover and make our water cleaner.

During the 10-year planning process, the National Park Service needed to balance the benefits to nature with possible harm to an important historical resource: the Ohio & Erie Canal. The Brecksville Diversion Dam was still “feeding” the watered section of the canal. The section from Wilson Feed Mill to Rockside Road is designated a National Historic Landmark. The solution will be to install a pump at the Pinery Feeder gate to manage the water in the canal. This custom-designed equipment is expected to be installed in spring 2021. While water levels are temporarily low, the national park plans to do maintenance work in the canal.

The Plan

Work is happening in stages. Demolition began with the Brecksville Diversion Dam notching on May 21, 2020. It ended with the Pinery Feeder Dam removal on June 24. Cleanup was completed in July. Designing and building the screw pump will take about 8 months

• Notching a hole in the dam to lower the water level and slowly release a build-up of sediment (completed May 2020)

• Formally documenting the two dams for a historical report with archival-quality photos (completed June 2020)

• Demolishing both dams (completed June - July 2020)

• Assessing the bedrock underneath and completing the design for a new screw pump (Summer - Fall 2020)

• Installing the screw pump to help control the water level in the nearby section of canal (Spring 2021)

• Restoring the riverbank habitat through related projects (2021 - 2022)

 

Duration:

1 minute, 20 seconds

This silent, time-lapse video shows the demolition of the concrete Brecksville Diversion Dam, a critical step in restoring the Cuyahoga River to health. This work took place from mid-May to mid-June 2020.