Watershed Division

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Rockwell South Canoe Launch

In an effort to promote recreation on the Cuyahoga River and in cooperation with the Portage Park District and the Cuyahoga River Water Trail Association, The City of Akron Water Bureau, Watershed Division, has installed a new canoe launch on Ravenna Rd, just below Lake Rockwell in Kent. As Lake Rockwell is the source water for the City of Akron, and therefore off limits to the public, this addition to the Cuyahoga River Water Trail will allow for easy portage around this environmentally sensitive area.  This canoe launch will facilitate portaging from the Portage County Park District Red Fox Canoe takeout in Shalersville, Ohio around Lake Rockwell Reservoir on the Cuyahoga River.

AWS has also seized this opportunity to showcase environmentally friendly green infrastructure. AWS has partnered with the University of Akron and in spring of 2015, a senior design team of engineers will break ground near the launch site for installation of a demonstration rain garden to encourage visitors to adopt their own best management practices for the sake of water quality. It will be accompanied by a kiosk that will stress the importance of permeable land cover in the modern age of urbanization.

Akron plans to open the Canoe Launch to the public officially in April 2015.