Response to USACE Request for public comment on NEORSD Doan Brook Restoration at Horseshoe Park – Approved by DBWP Board and Staff on June 25, 2026.

The Doan Brook Watershed Partnership (DBWP) supports the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District’s (NEORSD) Doan Brook Restoration at Horseshoe Park Project. Through our work, DBWP leads conservation and restoration efforts that protect the Doan Brook and advance environmental justice. By working closely with our communities and sharing clear, reliable watershed science, we give the brook a strong, collective voice. 

This project will restore 7,662 linear feet of the Doan Brook. Partnerships between NEORSD and the Cities of Cleveland Heights and Shaker Heights will create a beautiful, publicly accessible community park with views of a recovering, free-flowing Doan Brook. NEORSD’s restoration plan aligns with our organizational vision of a watershed where clean water flows freely, neighborhoods feel connected to nature, and residents are empowered to care for their environment and build a healthier, more just future. 

NEORSD’s project represents a thoughtful, community informed solution to address the safety risks and ecological impact posed by the failing Class I high-hazard dam at Horseshoe Lake. There are significant benefits to dam removal, including but not limited to: improved habitat connectivity, potential for floodplain reconnection, wetland creation/restoration, and effective stormwater management. Intentional native plantings include trees, shrubs, perennials, herbaceous plugs and live stakes, totaling over 49,000. These will slow the flow of water, reduce streambank erosion, aid in stormwater filtration and improve water quality.

As our region prepares for storms of increasing frequency and magnitude resulting from anthropogenic climate change, the Doan Brook Restoration at Horseshoe Park represents an important step towards building ecological and community resilience in a changing and increasingly uncertain world.

Sincerely,

The Doan Brook Watershed Partnership Staff and Board of Trustees.