The Cuyahoga River AOC:
A Restoration Success Story
Walk along Cleveland’s Cuyahoga River and learn about restoration efforts in progress!
(5:39)
Director / DP / Editor
The Cuyahoga River is arguably most famous for catching on fire... over a dozen times. A hundred years ago, Cleveland, Ohio was booming with successful factories that polluted the river.
“There was a general rule that if you fell in, God forbid, you would go immediately to the hospital. The water was nearly always covered in oil slicks, and it bubbled like a deadly stew.”
- Tim Donovan, 1969 steel mill worker
Is the Cuyahoga River doomed to be Cleveland’s biggest embarrassment (aside from the Browns)? Not according to the Cuyahoga River Area of Concern Advisory Committee! This group of dedicated individuals has made it their mission to restore the river to a clean, ecologically friendly habitat. Because of their hard work, the river has received approval from the EPA to be removed from 6 of its 10 beneficial use impairments. This is a huge deal and marks considerable progress in the river’s recovery.
I collaborated with extension educator Scott Hardy to document the tireless efforts of the AOC Advisory Committee. I left feeling inspired by their passion and convinced the Cuyahoga’s best days are still ahead.
“There was a general rule that if you fell in, God forbid, you would go immediately to the hospital. The water was nearly always covered in oil slicks, and it bubbled like a deadly stew.”
- Tim Donovan, 1969 steel mill worker
Is the Cuyahoga River doomed to be Cleveland’s biggest embarrassment (aside from the Browns)? Not according to the Cuyahoga River Area of Concern Advisory Committee! This group of dedicated individuals has made it their mission to restore the river to a clean, ecologically friendly habitat. Because of their hard work, the river has received approval from the EPA to be removed from 6 of its 10 beneficial use impairments. This is a huge deal and marks considerable progress in the river’s recovery.
I collaborated with extension educator Scott Hardy to document the tireless efforts of the AOC Advisory Committee. I left feeling inspired by their passion and convinced the Cuyahoga’s best days are still ahead.
Source: Smithsonian Magazine’s “The Cuyahoga River Caught Fire at Least a Dozen Times, but No One Cared Until 1969” article. Written by Lorraine Boissoneault, June 19, 2019.
Accompanying article: https://ohioseagrant.osu.edu/news/2024/qtxmo/cuyahoga-river-area-concern-celebrates-new-restoration
Featuring:
Scott Hardy
Emily Kao
Elaine Marsh
Shot with Canon EOS M50
Edited with Adobe Premiere Pro & After Effects
Colored with DaVinci Resolve
Video completed November, 2024
Featuring:
Scott Hardy
Emily Kao
Elaine Marsh
Shot with Canon EOS M50
Edited with Adobe Premiere Pro & After Effects
Colored with DaVinci Resolve
Video completed November, 2024