• Grand Rapids will begin a two-year, up to $26 million river restoration project on July 1, removing four downtown low-head dams to restore rapids
• The project includes a major sea lamprey management component, with the Sixth Street Dam remaining in place for now while a long-term replacement is studied
• Residents, tribal members, and local officials describe the Grand River as both a recreational and cultural resource

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While Grand Rapids leaders recently kicked off a years-in-the-making project to restore the city’s namesake rapids to the Grand River downtown, one nagging question remains: how to put the rapids in while keeping invasive sea lamprey out.

The first phase of the “restore the rapids” project will remove four aging low-head dams between Bridge Street and Fulton Street and replace them with rock and boulder structures designed to restore more natural river conditions. Those changes are intended to improve fish passage, increase habitat diversity and recreate some of the river’s historic flow patterns.

One of the most complex parts of the project, however, is the Sixth Street Dam, which currently serves as a barrier preventing lampreys from moving upstream.

Sea lampreys are parasitic fish that attach to native species and have had major ecological and economic impacts across the Great Lakes region. 

In the Grand River, the Sixth Street Dam protects roughly 1,900 miles of upstream habitat. That dam will not be removed until a new barrier is constructed, a project still being studied by the US Army Corps of Engineers, said Lisa Walter, aquatic connectivity coordinator for the Great Lakes Fishery Commission.

“We’re looking at probably 2028 until we have a project design selected,” Walter said.

RELATED: 

• Let the river run: Dam removal accelerates in Michigan
• Invasive sea lamprey declining as control efforts in the Great Lakes resume
• Restoring Michigan rivers by cleaning up, removing crumbling dams

More than $20 million in federal funding has already been secured for the future barrier project, according to planning documents.

Kyle Karpowicz, a Grand Rapids resident who has lived in the area since 2002, said he supports efforts to improve the river but said protecting fish populations should remain a priority as the project moves forward.

“A lot of people still come here to fish,” Karpowicz said. “For a lot of people, the fish in this river are an important resource and the invasive lamprey might take that away.”

‘Our primary natural asset’

For city leaders, the project represents a broader shift in how Grand Rapids sees its riverfront.

“It’s our primary natural asset,” Grand Rapids Mayor David LaGrand said. “It is our primary thing of beauty in this community.”

The effort is designed to bring back the rapids that gave the city its name while also improving habitat, safety, and public access along the waterfront.

The first phase will cost up to $26 million and is expected to take place over two construction seasons, with work continuing through fall 2027.

Matt Chapman, executive director of Grand Rapids WhiteWater, a coalition of government, business and environmental groups leading the initiative, said the project reflects a longstanding community vision.

“A lot of people come here and say, ‘Where are the rapids?’” Chapman said.

The Grand Rapids project reflects a broader trend in river restoration, as communities across Michigan and the United States remove outdated dams to improve habitat, water quality and public access to waterways.

Mike Staal, Grand Rapids project manager, said safety is a key reason for removing the dams because the dams create dangerous recirculating currents that can trap people.

He added that the project also reflects a shift in how the city interacts with its river.

“We really built our city with our backs to the river,” Staal said. “Now, we’re basically trying to do an about-face.”

Habitat restoration is also a major goal of the project. The design is expected to benefit native species such as lake sturgeon and federally endangered species like the snuffbox mussel.

‘This is amazing’

During the project’s groundbreaking ceremony on June 1, the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians held a ceremonial water blessing near the Gillett Bridge downtown.

“I feel like I’m really representing my family and ancestors, and just everybody in my community,” said McKenzie Boda, a citizen of the tribe who participated in the blessing. “This is amazing.”

Rob Yob said the Grand River Bands (GRB) have been tied to the region for more than 2,000 years and continue to see the river as central to their identity.

“The GRB have been part of the living creation that has made this place their home,” he said. “We have faced much adversity over the years, but we continue to call this our home.”

Yob said the tribe supports restoration efforts that benefit not only people, but all living things in the ecosystem.

“We welcome the efforts not only for ourselves, but also for all the living creations that are hoped to benefit — fish, turtles, birds, insects, plants and many other creatures,” said Yob.

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