Cuyahoga River Area of Concern

• Case Study 7. Cleveland Flats’ Revitalization Linked to Recovery of the Cuyahoga River

The Cuyahoga River has come a long way since 1969, when its burning waters thrust it into the national spotlight. This potent symbol of environmental degradation galvanized an environmental movement, inspiring passage of the Clean Water Act and the U.S.-Canada Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement in 1972. Designation as a Great Lakes Area of Concern in 1985 led to continued remediation and restoration efforts that resulted in a return of fish, peregrine falcons, eagles, and osprey. This cleanup and river revival led to the revitalization of The Flats district at the mouth of the river in Cleveland. The city's center of industry and commerce during its industrial heyday, the Flats is now a unique urban neighborhood where nature, commerce, and industry live together.
 

Photos

Please feel free to use the following photos in any publicity about this story. Please credit the source indicated.

Cuyahoga River at its mouth in Cleveland, Ohio. Credit: Cuyahoga River Restoration.

Flats East Bank development along the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio. Credit: Flats Forward.

Rowing in navigational channel of the Cuyahoga River. Credit: Cuyahoga River Restoration.

Improving fishing access to the Cuyahoga River. Credit: Cuyahoga River Restoration.

Having dinner at Flats East Bank while watching the fire boat. Credit: Cuyahoga River Restoration.

Settler’s Landing Fountain and Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica, Cleveland, Ohio. Credit: Flats Forward.