Dam repairs and heavy rainfall have created dangerous conditions on the Cuyahoga River through Kent, where firefighters have more than tripled their summer average for water rescues.

Swollen river, water levels are expected to remain high even if the rain stops because Akron is releasing extra water to lower Lake Rockwell so engineers can repair the dam. The Akron water treatment plant sits near the dam on the southern end of Lake Rockwell, which carries the Cuyahoga River south to Kent.

"The City of Akron performed mandatory maintenance at the Lake Rockwell Dam, which required the reservoir level to be lowered through a controlled release," city spokeswoman Ellen Lander Nischt said in an email. "The City of Akron notified the appropriate communities downstream (including the City of Kent), and a meeting was held with Portage County Emergency Management Authority yesterday.

"River conditions downstream may remain higher than normal even when the rain water recedes, until the maintenance is completed."

The repairs are expected to last a few days to a week.

In the meantime, the Kent Fire Department continues to warn people to stay off the Cuyahoga River, especially as it speeds through the city.

“I think most people, if they understand how dangerous it is, they will heed the warning,” Kent Fire Chief John Tosko said. Some people are going on the river no matter what, he said.

On average, the department says it rescues about six people over the summer. With summer just begun, 20 people have been pulled to safety.

Water rescues often involve “strainers,” trees that fall across the river in storms. Water goes under but kayakers and tubers get clothes-lined or knocked off their watercraft.

Tosko said the dam at the bottom of Akron's main supply of drinking water had some problems, and officials have been letting water out of the reserve. Nischt said 200 million gallons was released to lower the reservoir by 3 feet to complete the "required maintenance" on the dam.

A particularly dangerous part of the river is immediately downstream of the Main Street Bridge, Tosko said. That’s where most of the water rescues have taken place.

Tosko said he can't forbid people from piloting the river. He also can’t fine or charge them for the cost of rescues. Kent City Council would have to legislate that kind of disincentive.

But he can put up warning signs along the river, which firefighters were doing Tuesday at most of the access points in Kent, including at Ravenna Road, Riverbend Park, the West Main Street Bridge, Tannery Park and the Middlebury boat ramp.

Tosko said the rescues are also dangerous to the firefighters, even though they are well trained and have good equipment.

“It is a risk,” Tosko said. “Some guys have to get into the water and swim over to people because they are barely hanging on. They have the danger of drowning themselves.”

Kayakers Bryan Ritchie of Cuyahoga Falls, James McNea of North Ridgeville and Alexis Habyan of Stow were in the river Sunday when they saw the Portage County Water Rescue Team. Habyan told the Record-Courier that she was concerned for McNea, who was kayaking for the first time, and decided to ask crews for assistance out of the water.

“I didn’t want to scare him,” Habyan said.

The kayakers were successfully assisted out of the water.

Chris Lucks, assistant director for outdoor adventure at Kent State University recreation, put kayaking and canoe trips through Crooked River Adventures on hiatus until the danger ebbs. He said people have been calling about the summer trips and asking general questions about whether recreational river use is safe.

“We just let people know the river is unsafe at this level and to definitely stay out of the river,” Lucks said.

Reporter Kaitlyn McGarvey contributed to this report. Contact reporter Eileen McClory at 330-298-1128, emcclory@recordpub.com or @Eileen_McClory. Reach Doug Livingston at dlivignston@thebeaconjournal.com or 330-996-3792.