The largest river restoration project in Northeast Ohio is moving forward — and you can hear about it firsthand.
Summit Metro Parks and a coalition of federal, state, and local partners will present a public progress report on the Free the Falls initiative — the $100M+ project to remove the Gorge Dam from the Cuyahoga River in Gorge Metro Park.
Event Details
| When | Tuesday, April 28, 2026 · 6:00–7:30 PM (doors at 5:30) |
| Where | Akron-Summit County Public Library — Main Library 60 S. High St., Akron, OH 44326 |
| Cost | Free — open to the public |
| Live Stream | youtube.com/summitmetroparks |
| Parking | Garage at 40 S. High St. or surface lot at 71 S. High St. High & Market Deck — free after 6 PM |
Why This Matters for Steelhead Anglers
The Gorge Dam — built in 1911 to power a coal plant that shut down decades ago — is the largest remaining water quality impediment on the Cuyahoga River. It traps nearly one million cubic yards of contaminated sediment and blocks fish passage to approximately 56 miles of upstream habitat.
The Cuyahoga received its first steelhead stocking in 2024 — 60,061 yearlings from ODNR's Castalia hatchery. Right now, steelhead can only access the river below the dam. When it comes down, the Cuyahoga could become one of the best steelhead rivers in Ohio, with the longest uninterrupted run of any Steelhead Alley tributary.
The river drops 200 feet over two miles through a dramatic gorge carved 12,000 years ago during glacial retreat. The falls the city of Cuyahoga Falls was named for have been underwater for over a century. Nobody alive today has seen them.
Project Status
The Coalition
This isn't a small-town dam removal. The project brings together a massive coalition of federal, state, and local partners:
Refreshments and Free the Falls merchandise (t-shirts) will be available at the event. ASL interpretation will be provided.
For more information, contact Nature Realm Visitors Center at 330-865-8065 (Wed–Sat 10am–5pm, Sun 12–5pm) or visit summitmetroparks.org/about/free-the-falls. Listen to the Free the Falls podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify for background on the project.