Dont count on seeing those category five whitewater rapids in the Cuyahoga River this summer. But theres a good chance youll be riding them next year.

Deconstruction of the Samira and Sheraton dams on the Cuyahoga River will begin right after the city’s bicentennial celebration, said city engineer Tony Demasi. If all goes well, the dams could be down by Dec. 1.

“A lot of work that we’re going to be doing is going to be behind the scenes,” Demasi said. “Designs need to be finalized and permits need to be approved before the Army Corps of Engineers and the contractors can start work on the river. We may not see any construction until September or October.”

Previous delays and a lawsuit brought by Beaver Falls Excavation have stalled the process to remove the nearly 100-year-old dams and restore the Cuyahoga River. The project is paid for with a $1 million grant from the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewage District through the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.

Read the entire article via Samira and Sheraton Dam Deconstruction Begins After Bicentennial – Cuyahoga Falls, OH Patch.