Sheraton Dam Demo Crew Moves Floating Barge Into Position

When the Cuyahoga River water level recedes, the RiverWorks demolition team will be ready to make its first cut into the Sheraton Mill Dam.

Crews continued to tug the floating barge down the Cuyahoga River on Thursday, and are just a short distance from the Sheraton Mill Dam falls. 

The first cut was scheduled for Wednesday, June 26, but the date was pushed back due to severe storms that elevated the water level to a bloated 1,130 cubic feet per second.

According to city service director Valerie Wax Carr, the water level will need to dip to 200 cubic feet per second before workers can safely begin to deconstruct the century-old dam, located behind the Sheraton Suites off Front Street. 

"This is an intricate operation," Carr told Patch on Wednesday. "Safety is paramount and all the conditions have to be correct before we begin."

The city has not yet set a tentative date for demolition to begin, particularly since weather forecasters anticipate rain showers through Wednesday, July 3. 

"I'm ready for the dams to come down," said Falls resident Joe Estore, who was checking out the Sheraton dam Thursday afternoon. "It's time to turn the page. I just with Mother Nature would cooperate a bit more."

Intemperate weather has caused three first-cut delays. 

For background information on the history of the dams and their impending demolition, click here.