Urban Waters and the Grand River/Grand Rapids (Michigan)

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Urban Waters Voices: Grand River

The Grand River/Grand Rapids Urban Waters Federal Partnership is a public-private led effort to restore the urban stretch of the Grand River through downtown Grand Rapids. The ability for fish and other creatures to thrive has been significantly impacted by the installation of five low head dams, floodwalls, urban encroachment, dredging, and grading. The five low head dams on the river drown the historic boulder rapids, limit fish passage and prohibit safe recreational uses of the river.

The Partnership has been around since 2013. Since then, the Partnership has grown and includes more partners, and more projects focused on the upstream and downstream communities in the entire Lower Grand River Watershed as well. Investments in pollution control have improved water quality to the point where expanded public use and river-oriented economic development will be enhanced and encouraged.

Local partners coordinated and developed a Grand River/Grand Rapids workplan, intended to define goals, detail key partners, summarize priority projects, specify milestones, and project goals.

Workplan Initiatives Include:

1. Improving Water Quality and Habitats Through Implementation of Best Management Practices.
2. Provide Education and Outreach on Activation/Stewardship of the Lower Grand River Watershed.
3. Monitoring the Health of the Watershed.
4. Adaption and Resilience Planning Related to Climate Change.
5. Environmental Justice.
6. Policy and Regulations.

Local Partnership Work Plan

List of Partners