Cleveland Metroparks recently completed a two-year project to drain and refill Hinckley Lake and rehabilitate its dam. Sean McDermott, Cleveland Metroparks chief planning and design engineer, discussed the project.
According to McDermott, “The project aimed to strengthen the flood protection and improve opportunities for recreation in the area. The earthen dam structure was approaching 100 years old (built in 1927) and needed to be brought up to modern standards to ensure that areas downstream of the lake were being protected in the event of severe flooding.” McDermott also described how the lake had gotten shallower over the years due to sediment buildup.
To restore the dam, Cleveland Metroparks had to drain the lake with a valve at the end of the lake, but it took multiple weeks because it kept filling from rain. Cleveland Metroparks moved key animals like freshwater mussels before construction, but other animals like beavers, fish and turtles naturally migrated upstream…