GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Nearly a month into the physical work to restore the rapids in the Grand River, nearly half of one of the dams in downtown Grand Rapids has been removed.
Downstream, boulders are already being placed into their designed spots — work that offers a preview of what the restored river will eventually look like.
"Those first boulders just started going in yesterday, and we have to complete three different rows of that through the center of the river, then we have to build the west side," Grand Rapids Project Manager Michael Staal said.
Grand Rapids WhiteWater Executive Director Matt Chapman said he's amazed by the progress.
"It's really exciting to see the work happening in the river. Every day, the river is looking a little bit different," Chapman said.
The Restore the Rapids project has been nearly two decades in the making and aims to return the river to the city's namesake. During excavation, crews uncovered a chunk of limestone they believe was present when the rapids originally ran through the river.
"[It] actually has different circles and flow paths cut into it, and that's from the original rapid. So in this excavation, we've actually started to find some evidence — the first time of actual evidence of [the] original rapids. So, we hope to see more of that," Chapman said.
The project is expected to continue through the rest of this construction season and into 2027. Crews say the dry summer has helped keep water levels low and allowed work to move forward.
"This dry summer has really worked well in our favor to keep those water levels low, and allows us to get as much work done as possible," Staal said.
For those eager to see what the finished project will look like, a completed section near the Blue Bridge already offers a glimpse.
"Walk along the bridge, you see whitewater, you can hear the rapids. Even as far north as the carousel at the public museum, you can actually hear the sound of the rapids downtown. So that's just one feature," Chapman said.
Visitors are welcome to view the project, but crews are asking people to stay out of the active work area for their safety.
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