HINCKLEY, Ohio — Work on rehabilitating the nearly century-old Hinckley Dam officially got underway on Monday with the temporary draining of Hinckley Lake.
All of the wildlife is being relocated to other lakes while the dam is being repaired. The total cost of the dam rehabilitation is $9-$10 million, with completion estimated for the spring of 2026.
The dam, which was completed in 1927, has provided recreation and helped mitigate flooding for nearly a century. It also created the 87-acre manmade Hinckley Lake.
According to Cleveland Metroparks, over the next several years, the rehabilitation project will improve the recreational opportunities at Hinckley Lake, raise the height of the existing earthen dam embankment that stretches across the northern portion of the lake and rehabilitate the 150-foot-wide concrete spillway to meet modern standards and provide improved protection in the event of severe flooding.
The Metroparks adds that over the last century, the Rocky River has deposited a significant amount of silt in Hinckley Lake, which varies in depths from 2-16 feet. Concurrently with the dam rehabilitation, Cleveland Metroparks will remove excess silt deposits in specific areas of the lake to allow for proper depths for recreation.