Mahoning River

Removing tires from a river doesn’t just help the river; it helps build community among political leaders, businesses, environmentalists and other groups, and in the Mahoning Valley, these groups have often been in conflict.

The waters of the Mahoning River have recovered somewhat since the steel mills that dotted the banks shut down in the 1970s and '80s. Now there’s an effort to take down the dams that provided a water source for the mills and continue to hold back the toxins dumped in the Mahoning. However, upriver, in rural Trumbull County, residents don’t want to lose their dam.

Parts of the Mahoning River were once considered unsafe for human contact. But in the five decades since most of the industry left, the water quality has improved. The fish are back, and it’s even safe to eat them. There are people who've been watching the river’s recovery.

Like many Northeast Ohio rivers, the Mahoning has an industrial legacy. It was once deemed too polluted for human contact. But when the steel mills began closingin the 1970’s, the river started restoring itself. Now some trailblazers are working to reconnect the people of the Mahoning Valley with their river.

For nearly 100 years, the Mahoning River was the dumping ground for the steel mills. But in the decades since the mills closed, the river has been recovering. Now people want to connect the river to the communities through which it flows. Can the river now help them remake the Mahoning Valley into a great place to live? The five stories in our series give you an idea of what's possible. Got an idea for further reporting? Please email us.