Grand River restoration projects in Grand Rapids began nearly 18 years ago but this week, crews are getting into the river to remove four low-head dams that sit under the surface of the river.
The Lower Reach River Project will take around two years to complete, depending on weather and river conditions.
Project Manager Michael Staal is leading the initiative. He said the dams will be replaced with stone features, including ripples, boulder arches, and habitat boulders.
Staal said the dams are dangerous and their removal provides a multitude of benefits, like habitat restoration and river accessibility.
“Really, we’re putting the rapids back into Grand Rapids,” Staal said.
Now that trails and access points to the river exist, Staal said its time to start the in-river work. The dams, which once had practical uses such as keeping the water levels steady to help sewage overflow move down the river, are no longer necessary he said, and the dams do more harm than good, stopping non-jumping fish species from moving up the river.
Removing the dams will allow fish to move freely and the stone features will create better habitat diversity for aquatic creatures.
The project is funded through state, federal, personal, and local support and will cost around $14.5 million dollars. No roads will be closed for the work and traffic will not be impacted.
“This is a project that the community has supported for the last 18 years,” he said. “We would just love to have this be a community place where it brings community together so that’s really the main goal.”
The affected area ranges from 300 feet upstream of the Bridge St. Bridge downstream to the Fulton St. Bridge, according to the city’s website.
