The Cleveland Metroparks Rocky River Nature Center is an environmental education facility that opened in 1971. The center sits atop a scenic bluff overlooking the Rocky River and features interactive exhibits, trails, and gardens. Over time, river flows severely undercut the steep riverbank, resulting in erosion that could eventually compromise the facility and its viewing deck.
In the Fall of 2024, Cleveland Metroparks hired KS Associates to develop alternatives to stabilize the riverbank. KS’s in-house riverine modeling expert used the Delft3D-FLOW model to evaluate the river’s currents and sedimentation patterns, and upstream and downstream river segments. Modeling provided robust data for the design.
The chosen alternative includes an armor stone revetment and three curved stone weirs (low-head dams) at the base of the deck to protect the bluff from further erosion and undercutting. An adjacent section of the river will be dredged to allow water to flow away from the bluff.
KS recommended the beneficial reuse of the dredged material to create a nature-based shoreline along the 380-linear-foot project. The dredged earth fill will be placed between the weirs and planted with riparian vegetation. The fill will ultimately strengthen the overall health and resilience of the river system.
KS’s scope of work included hydrographic and boundary surveying, regulatory permitting, and construction-phase services. The project is out to bid and is anticipated to be complete in December 2026.
The project is being implemented in partnership with the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD) through the District’s Regional Stormwater Management Program, which funds projects that reduce flooding, improve water quality, and protect regional waterways.
