Where we work

The Cuyahoga River begins as the East and West Branch in the headwaters, combining just below the Village of Burton and flowing approximately 42.52 river miles to Lake Rockwell in Franklin Township.

The upper watershed spans 207 square miles (132,608 acres) throughout Geauga and Portage Counties. This land includes the areas that surround each reservoir in the source water system which are excluded to the public and kept as natural as possible to act as a pollution buffer. These buffer zones require routine monitoring due to the increased potential contamination of dangerous pesticides, fertilizers, and household and industrial chemicals from residential areas and can devastate even the smallest waterways that flow into the Cuyahoga River. Mogadore Reservoir is also continually surveyed by our division to protect the water quality of the Little Cuyahoga and Cuyahoga Rivers. Monitoring a wider range of the Cuyahoga Watershed helps maintain the river and its tributaries' natural states for future generations of wildlife and people to thrive while providing high-quality water for Akron’s customers.