THE UNCERTAIN FATE OF LOWER LAKE
By Peter Bode, CEO & President
The Nature Center is committed to standing as a stern advocate for the conservation of the Shaker Parklands, connecting the community to nature, and inspiring all of us to embrace the importance of our native habitats and the outdoors. Our mission is especially critical in times of transformation and change. Upstream from us, Horseshoe Park is in its final stages before construction to restore a free-flowing Doan Brook. Downstream from us, new recommendations from Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD) regarding Lower Lake have surfaced.
What We Know
NEORSD has recommended the removal of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Class 1 dam which has been found out of compliance by the state. They deemed reconstruction to not provide notable flood reduction downstream. ODNR requires that should a dam be rebuilt, it must be to current standards, which include a flood wall and gravity dam, or it must be removed.
Who is the Decision Maker?
The City of Cleveland owns the full Shaker Parklands. Cleveland Heights, Shaker Heights, and Nature Center have leases on various pieces of the Parklands. Lower Lake Park is co-leased to the two cities, making each responsible for the dam maintenance and operation, and giving them responsibility for the final decision on the fate of the dam and lake. The Nature Center does not have land control over the lake, though there is lake infrastructure that we are responsible for maintaining at the inlet. Woodland Avenue, a designated lake embankment, and the weir at the downstream end of the Nature Center property (under the bridge at the end of the marsh) are both lake infrastructure. NEORSD will only invest dollars in the most recent recommended management project presented by the district; the requirements of the stormwater program and therefore the earmarked dollars must be used to reduce flooding, curb erosion, and improve water quality.
A Vision to Connect Our Community
The history of the Nature Center, its importance as a community resource, together with our cultural and grassroots history, has positioned us to take a seat at the decision-making table and on the final design for Lower Lake. The lake is not only the centerpiece of the Parklands but the impetus for our namesake. This poses an exciting opportunity to re-envision the asset. We are dedicated to ensuring that the Nature Center serves as the community voice in this conversation. We are the only non-profit land manager, and the only organization whose mission elevates us to rally for the betterment of the Parklands, both as a community and ecosystem asset. Our team has brought thoughtful alternatives to the table, which have a very real path forward to fruition. One of these – to take advantage of the NEORSD storm-water program money and still preserve a Lower Lake— includes the development of an offline lake in parallel to a stream restoration and dam removal. Feasibility still needs done, but this option may yield up to a 10–12-acre lake while still removing the liability of the class 1 dam. This would fit the NEORSD recommendation without losing the lake. There is a long road ahead of us. This will take a concerted effort of the community to come together in solidarity around our shared waterway. Come walk beside the Nature Center and we will ensure that the power of numbers can shift the needle to re-envisioning Lower Lake Park with your voice heard and your impact felt.
