Horseshoe Lake Dam Could Soon Be Removed, Public Input Wanted

SHAKER HEIGHTS, OH — The Northeast Ohio Sewer District has recommended removing Horseshoe Lake dam and restoring the north and middle branches of Doan Brook. Before action is taken, public input on that recommendation is needed.

The cities of Cleveland Heights and Shaker Heights are hosting a joint in-person council meeting to answer any remaining questions about the sewer district's recommendations. Representatives from both cities and the sewer district will be on-hand, and questions can be submitted prior to the meeting or written and submitted during the session.

The meeting will be held Aug. 9 at 6:30 p.m. in the Cleveland Heights Community Center, 1 Monticello Bouelvard. Shaker Heights has shared answers to many of the most-asked questions about the project on the city website.

The Doan Brook Watershed Partnership issued a statement supporting the sewer district's recommendations.

"The Doan Brook Watershed Partnership staff and Board of Trustees support the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District’s (NEORSD) recommendation to restore the North and Middle branches of Doan Brook, in concept. Through our work and mission, we foster public education and environmental stewardship that celebrates and restores ecology in the Doan Brook Watershed. The instream and riparian habitats of the North and Middle branches can be restored to a high degree if the Horseshoe Lake dam is removed. The Doan Brook will have the opportunity to flow as it once did for over 14,000 years in this location. The details of NEORSD’s concept are forthcoming, thus we encourage NEORSD to continue answering public and stakeholder questions, hosting public forums and sharing data and information. We encourage a vision that inspires the same level of beauty, community connection and equal public access as Horseshoe Lake has provided for many years.