Cuyahoga River
Cuyahoga River | ||
Catchment area of the river |
||
Data | ||
Water code | US : 1072205 | |
location | Ohio (USA) | |
River system | Saint Lawrence River | |
Drain over | Niagara River → Saint Lawrence River → Atlantic Ocean | |
source | from East Branch Cuyahoga River and West Branch Cuyahoga River in the Burton, Geauga County , Ohio 41 ° 26 ′ 26 ″ N , 81 ° 9 ′ 7 ″ W |
|
Source height | 333 m | |
muzzle |
Lake Erie near Cleveland , Cuyahoga County , Ohio Coordinates: 41 ° 30 ′ 13 " N , 81 ° 42 ′ 44" W 41 ° 30 ′ 13 " N , 81 ° 42 ′ 44" W |
|
Mouth height | 174 m | |
Height difference | 159 m | |
Bottom slope | 1.2 ‰ | |
length | 137 km | |
Catchment area | 2095 km² | |
Left tributaries | Little Cuyahoga River | |
Reservoirs flowed through | Lake Rockwell | |
Big cities | Cleveland | |
Medium-sized cities | Kent , Cuyahoga Falls | |
Navigable | 8 kilometers | |
American Heritage River | ||
Cuyahoga River in Cuyahoga Valley National Park |
The Cuyahoga River ( ˌkaɪəˈhɔgə ) is a river in northeast Ohio in the United States . The name of the river is of Indian origin and means in the Iroquois languages Crooked River (German roughly "Winding River"), as the river is still called.
Run
The river actually begins its journey in Hambden Township , but is officially only formed by the confluence of the East Branch and West Branch Cuyahoga Rivers in Burton . From there it flows south to Cuyahoga Falls , where it bends sharply north, and through Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CUVA or CVNP) to the north of Summit County and south of Cuyahoga County . It flows through the cities of Independence , Valley View , Cuyahoga Heights , Newburg Heights and Cleveland before flowing into Lake Erie . The Cuyahoga River and its tributaries drain a basin of 2,095 km² that extends over six counties.
The river was formed in the geologically relatively recent past, when the glaciers advanced and retreated during the last ice age . The catchment area near Akron was greatly changed by the last glacial retreat around ten to twelve thousand years ago . This diverted the river, which originally flowed south, to the north. He looked for his meandering path through the moraine landscape . The depth of the river bed usually reaches 90 to 180 cm.
history
Surveyor Moses Cleaveland , who was tasked with exploring the Connecticut Western Reserve , reached the mouth of the river in 1796 and decided to build a settlement on the site, now Cleveland.
The river formed part of the line that became the western border of the United States with the Treaty of Greenville in 1795 .
environmental issues
Due to the industrialization and the largely uncontrolled discharge of sewage from the middle of the 19th century, the river was a sewer at that time. Oil, combustible chemical waste, animal waste from slaughterhouses and other waste ended up uncleared. This flammable brew floated on the surface so the river could burn itself. Cleveland also got its water from Lake Erie, into which the river flows. The local residents were plagued by fires on the river for more than three decades. In 1936, a spark from a blowtorch set debris and floating oil on fire. The largest fire on the river in 1952 caused more than one million US dollars in property damage to watercraft, bridges and structures on the banks. The river was on fire a few more times before the fire of June 22, 1969 caught the attention of Time magazine . The article at the time described the Cuyahoga River as a river that "oozes rather than flows" and in which a person "does not drown, but rots."
The 1969 Cuyahoga River fire accelerated efforts to control discharges into the river and resulted in the 1972 Clean Water Act , the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, and the establishment of the United States Environmental Protection Agency . The events have also found their way into popular culture, for example in Randy Newman's song Burn On (1972), REM's Cuyahoga (1986) and Adam Again's 1992 title River on Fire .
From the 1980s, the water quality has improved significantly and so the river was classified as an American Heritage River in 1998 with thirteen others . Pollution remained a problem, among other things from urban rainwater runoff, diffuse environmental pollution and overflow water from mixed sewers, and because of the many dams also from stagnant water. For this reason, the Environmental Protection Agency has classified the Cuyahoga River catchment with 42 other areas in the Great Lakes area as endangered.
Hydraulic engineering
The lower course of the river has been the subject of numerous changes. Originally the Cuyahoga flowed into Lake Erie about 700 meters west of today's mouth. The current estuary immediately west of the city center of Cleveland was artificially created and allows unhindered entry of ships from the lake into the river and vice versa. The US Army Corps of Engineers dredges the otherwise shallow river on the lower eight kilometers regularly to a depth of eight meters so that freighters from the Great Lakes can reach the industrial plants in the flats . In order to make shipping easier, the banks were straightened and turning basins were built.
The United States Coast Guard is deploying icebreakers on Lake Erie and the lower reaches of the Cuyahoga River to delay the winter freezing of shipping lanes.
Various measures have been taken in the past for the purpose of flood protection. This includes the construction of dams and dikes as well as the dredging of the river bed. Since numerous settlements in the Cuyahoga Basin are only slightly above the river, heavy rainfall or a sudden thaw can lead to severe flooding in these areas.
The upper reaches of the Cuyahoga falls relatively quickly, creating rapids and waterfalls in some places . The lower course loses only a little height, so that the flow velocity is relatively low and the drainage of the water takes longer than on the upper course. In particular, shipping in the flats manages without locks .
RM |
Coordinates |
height |
location |
county |
description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
20.71 |
41 ° 19 ′ 15 ″ N , 81 ° 35 ′ 15 ″ W. | Ohio and Erie Canal Diversion Dam, built 1825–1827. The dam used to divert water to the Ohio-Erie Canal is located under the Ohio State Route 82 bridge over the river valley. |
|||
45.8 |
41 ° 7 ′ 23 " N , 81 ° 29 ′ 50" W. | 256 m | Summit | Gorge Metropolitan Park Dam, built in 1912, between SR 8 North Main Street-State Road and SR 59 Front Street Bridge | |
49.9 |
41 ° 8 ′ 14 " N , 81 ° 28 ′ 53" W. | 307 m | Cuyahoga Falls | Summit | Cuyahoga Falls Low Head Dam, between Portage Trail and SR 8 / SR 59 Bridge |
54.8 |
41 ° 9 ′ 12 ″ N , 81 ° 21 ′ 35 ″ W. | Kent | Portage | Kent Dam, between West Main Street and SR 59 / SR 43 Haymaker Parkway Bridge | |
57.97 |
41 ° 10 ′ 58 " N , 81 ° 19 ′ 51" W. | 324 m | Franklin Township | Portage | Lake Rockwell Dam, between Ravenna Road and SR 14 Cleveland-East Liverpool Road Bridge |
Dam to discharge into the Ohio-Erie Canal
The Brecksville Dam, which is 20 miles from the estuary, is the first dam upriver from Lake Erie and therefore has the greatest impact on fish migration.
Gorge Metropolitan Park Dam
The largest dam on the river is the Gorge Metropolitan Park Dam (also FirstEnergy Dam), which is located on the city limits between Cuyahoga Falls and Akron. The dam is around 17 meters high. Because of the dam, the waterfalls that gave the city of Cuyahoga Falls its name have been flooded since the dam was built. The water of the resulting extensive reservoir has a low oxygen saturation .
The dam was built in 1912 by the Northern Ohio Traction & Light Co. and served two purposes: to generate energy from hydropower and to store cooling water for a coal-fired power station . Power generation was stopped in 1958 and the coal-fired power plant was shut down in 1991. Various environmental groups have called for the dam to be removed. Opponents of this proposal cite that the once hollow dam was completely filled with concrete in the early 1990s and that sediments contaminated with heavy metals and polychlorinated biphenyls have accumulated above the dam due to the industrial past of Cuyahoga Falls . The Ohio EPA estimates the cost of demolishing the dam at $ 5 to 10 million and cleaning up contaminated sediments at an additional $ 60 million. The dam has an operating permit until 2041.
Advanced Hydro Solutions (AHS), based in Fairlawn, Ohio, filed for power generation to resume, citing a reduction in emissions. The project would produce electrical energy for around 2000 households. This plan met with opposition from environmental groups, the park administration, the United States Department of the Interior, and the Ohio EPA. It was feared that the project would lead to more erosion and disrupt the picturesque character of the river below the dam by restricting the flow of water. On May 25, 2007, a federal appeals court upheld a lower court ruling that MetroParks, the park's service company, had the right to refuse to conduct on-site tests. MetroParks is owned by Summit County. On June 14, 2007, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) suspended AHS 'application process without reaching a decision because the company had failed to observe deadlines. The resumption of the proceedings was kept open, provided that AHS presented the required study results. The final decision by FERC is scheduled for July 2009.
On April 9, 2019, U.S. EPA and Ohio EPA employees presented their plan to demolish Gorge Metropolitan Park Dam in 2023.
Dam in Munroe Falls
With another dam in Kent , the dam in Munroe Falls has a greater impact on water quality than the structure in Gorge Metropolitain Park, as the flow gradient is lower here. Because of this, the Ohio EPA is demanding action from local authorities to address this impact.
The dam in Munroe Falls was first rebuilt in 2005. In the course of this work it turned out that there was a natural waterfall at this point. With this new knowledge, some interested parties, including the Summit County's administration, campaigned for the dam to be completely removed. The plan was revised and approved by Munroe Falls City Council on September 27, 2005. The dam made of sandstone blocks was removed and the water now falls about 130 cm from a natural edge.
Dam at Kent
The dam in Kent was bypassed in 2004.
Name variants
Historically, the river was known by various different names:
|
|
|
Tributaries
In addition to a large number of unnamed tributaries, the following tributaries also flow into the Cuyahoga River :
The indicated height of some of these tributaries deviates from the respective level of the Cuyahoga River because these watercourses flow into smaller waterfalls or rapids.
Remarks
- ↑ RM is the abbreviation for “River Mile,” and refers to the method used by government agencies in the United States to define points on a river. The measurement starts from the mouth of the water and follows the watercourse upstream to its source.
General sources
- Lower Cuyahoga River Watershed TMDLs, Appendix D. Aquatic Life Use Attainment Status for Stations Sampled in the Cuyahoga River Basin July-September, 1999-2000 (PDF) Ohio EPA. Accessed July 2010.
- Phil Keren: Removal Could be in dam's future (English) , Cuyahoga Falls News-Press. 2004.
- Phil Keren: Change proposed for Gorge Dam (English) , Cuyahoga Falls News-Press. 2005.
- Lauren Passell: Metroparks discuss future of Gorge Dam (English) , Cuyahoga Falls News-Press. 2005.
- All Wet ( English ) Akron Beacon Journal editorial. 2005. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- Dam removal to return Cuyahoga to natural, free-flowing state (English) . September 29, 2005.
- John C Kuehner: Hydroelectric project has upstream battle (English) , Cleveland Plain Dealer. March 2, 2006.
- Mark R Potter: Still no Gorge park access for company (English) , Cuyahoga Falls News-Press. June 3, 2007.
Individual evidence
- ^ A b East Branch Cuyahoga River ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ^ A b West Branch Cuyahoga River ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ↑ a b c Cuyahoga River ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l Upper Cuyahoga River Watershed TMDLs Figure 2. Schematic Representation of the Upper Cuyahoga Watershed ( English , PDF) Ohio EPA. Archived from the original on May 12, 2009. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ↑ Map of Ohio watersheds ( English , GIF) Ohio Department of Natural Resources . Archived from the original on March 11, 2007. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ^ Cuyahoga River Area of Concern ( English ) Environmental Protection Agency . Retrieved April 14, 2009.
- ↑ The Cities: The Price of Optimism ( English ) Time (magazine) . August 1, 1969. Retrieved April 14, 2009.
- ^ Cuyahoga River Area of Concern ( English ) United States Environmental Protection Agency . Retrieved April 13, 2009.
- ↑ a b 3745-1-26 Cuyahoga river. (PDF) Environmental Protection Agency . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa Lower Cuyahoga River Watershed TMDLs Figure 2. Schematic of the Lower Cuyahoga River Watershed ( English , PDF) Ohio EPA . Archived from the original on September 12, 2008. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ^ Gorge Metropolitan Park Dam ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ↑ a b c d e f Middle Cuyahoga TMDL, Figure 2. Schematic of the Middle Cuyahoga River ( English , PDF ) Ohio EPA. Archived from the original on September 12, 2008. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ↑ Cuyahoga Falls Low Head Dam ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ↑ Lake Rockwell Dam ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ^ Cuyahoga River Area of Concern ( English ) Environmental Protection Agency . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ↑ Biological and Water Quality Study of the Cuyahoga River and Selected Tributaries ( English , PDF) Ohio EPA. August 15, 1999. Archived from the original on September 12, 2005. Retrieved June 20, 2010.
- ↑ Search Results
- ↑ Newsletter June 2005 ( English , PDF; 124 kB) Kent Environmental Council. Archived from the original on July 5, 2007. Retrieved June 21, 2007.
- ^ A b c Bob Downing: Hydropower plan hits rough water (English) , Akron Beacon Journal. July 28, 2005. Retrieved April 15, 2009.
- ^ Mark R Potter: Still no Gorge park access for company (English) , Cuyahoga Falls News-Press. June 3, 2007. Archived from the original on August 19, 2007. Retrieved April 15, 2009.
- ^ Letter to Metro Hydroelectric Company ( English ) Federal Energy Regulatory Commission . June 14, 2007. Retrieved April 15, 2009.
- ↑ Bob Downing: Agency dismisses Company's Park Plan (English) , Akron Beacon-Journal . June 16, 2007. Retrieved April 15, 2009.
- ↑ https://www.wksu.org/post/plan-unveiled-bring-down-gorge-dam-2023
- ^ Munroe Falls Dam ( Memento April 6, 2005 in the Internet Archive ). Retrieved June 20, 2007.
- ↑ NewsNet5, Crews Unearth Natural Waterfall ( Memento of the original from November 7, 2005 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , September 13, 2005. Retrieved June 20, 2007.
- ^ Bob Downing: Munroe Falls dam to stand, but shorter (English) , Akron Beacon Journal. September 22, 2005. Retrieved April 15, 2009.
- ^ AP / Cleveland Plain Dealer . Dam removal to return Cuyahoga to natural, free-flowing state ( Page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . Posted September 29, 2005; retrieved October 6, 2005.
- ^ Cuyahoga River Restoration Project Final Summary ( English ) City of Kent, Ohio. Retrieved June 20, 2007.
- ^ Richard White: The Middle Ground: Indians, Empires, and Republics in the Great Lakes Region, 1650-1815 . Cambridge University Press, 1991, ISBN 0-521-37104-X , pp. 188-189, fn 4.
- ↑ Old River ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ^ Kingsbury un (Cuyahoga River) ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ^ Morgan Run ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ↑ Burk Branch ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ↑ Big Creek ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ^ West Creek ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ^ Mill Creek ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ^ Tinkers Creek ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ↑ Chippewa Creek ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ↑ Brandywine Creek ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ^ Stanford Run ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ↑ Grannys Run ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ^ Slipper Run ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ^ Boston Run ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ↑ Haskell Run ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ↑ Salt Run ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ↑ Dickerson Run ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ↑ Langes Run ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ^ Robinson Run ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ^ Furnace Run . Cuyahoga River Community Planning Organization. Archived from the original on June 27, 2009. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ↑ Furnace Run ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ↑ Yellow Creek ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ↑ Woodward Creek ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ^ Sand Run ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ↑ a b Mud Brook (Cuyahoga River ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey Accessed in July 2010..
- ↑ Little Cuyahoga River ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ↑ Fish Creek (Cuyahoga River) ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ↑ Plum Creek ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ↑ Breakneck Creek (Cuyahoga River) ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ↑ Eckert Ditch (Cuyahoga River) ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ^ Yoder Ditch ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ↑ Harper Ditch (Cuyahoga River) ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ↑ Black Creek ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ↑ Sawyer Brook ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ^ Bridge Creek ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved July 18, 2010.
Web links
- Cuyahoga River Community Planning Organization (English)
- Cuyahoga Valley (English)
- Friends of the Crooked River (English)
- Cuyahoga River and the Cuyahoga River Fire in the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History (English)
- Year of the River , The Plain Dealer 's 40th Anniversary of the 1969 Fire Special
- Gorge Metropolitan Park (English)
- Danny Kringiel: Cuyahoga River - The Burning River of Cleveland. Article specifically on environmental issues in one day of November 2, 2012