Ohio EPA seeks dam's removal

AKRON (AP) -- State environmental officials want to remove the Gorge Park Dam in the Cuyahoga River, calling it an obstacle to improving the water quality.
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency contacted the dam's owner, Akron-based FirstEnergy Corp., last month. State officials are expected to meet with company representatives later this month to begin the process of evaluating the dam's removal.
"From an environmental standpoint, there would be benefits," said Steve Tuckerman, the Ohio EPA's Cuyahoga River specialist. "But there are other factors that must be considered, such as economic and social."
The 58-foot-tall dam was constructed in 1912 over the site of the scenic, three-tiered Big Falls. The dam, the largest on the Cuyahoga, provided water to power the Gorge Hydroelectric Power Plant from 1914 to 1958.
River problem
The idea of removing the dam was first raised two years ago during a water quality study of the Cuyahoga River between Munroe Falls and Lake Erie.
The dam blocks fish and creates conditions that contribute to extensive algae growths downriver, Tuckerman said.
What prompted the EPA to act now is a proposal by the investment group Advanced Hydro Solutions LLC of Fairlawn, which wants to refurbish the Gorge Park Dam to produce electricity again.
FirstEnergy spokesman Mark Durbin said the utility is willing to meet with the Ohio EPA. "There's a lot to talk about when it comes to something like this," he said.
Tuckerman said one consideration is whether hydro power would outweigh the benefit of removing the dam, or vice versa.
The major problem facing removal is cost. Tons of silt have accumulated behind the dam. The silt could be contaminated with toxic chemicals, which would be costly to clean up.