BY

ii Post-industrial riverfronts in the ‘Rust-Belt ’ region of the United States have faced the consequences of [de]industrialization, including massive ecological disturbances. The Lower Cuyahoga River in Cleveland started facing those consequences when it was modified in the 1800s. The river channel was radically re-engineered with an aim to ease the movement of ships upstream and economize the businesses in that region. On occasion, the river caught fire due to the heavy oil wastes discharged by the industries. Subsequently the river’s health deteriorated affecting the aquatic habitat and the riverfront landscapes. The purpose of this thesis is to suggest how the lost river ecology of the Lower Cuyahoga River in Cleveland might be recovered by establishing habitat pockets and zones that support aquatic life. Landscape solutions are proposed to improve the water quality by reducing contaminants that are carried into the river by overland flow. These interventions would allow for the creation of public amenities along the riverfront, and reintegration of the fragmented post-industrial fabric. Th