Grand Rapids Whitewater

Listen to this! 5662_0125101 Chris Muller and Chip Richards were joined by WGVU’s Lindsey Smith as we walked the Grand River with representatives of the Michigan DNR and local engineering firm FTC&H. Afterward, we had lunch 50 paces from the water, at Tommy Fitzgerald’s Cafe Stella www.tommyfitzgeraldgroup.com. Outstanding river, outstanding food. Keeping it local, bringing it Downtown!
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Do you prefer this cascading waterfall?

Conceptual photograph of 'landscaped' 4th St dam.

Or this lowhead dam?  

Existing dam, known by river experts as a 'drowning machine.'

Could Grand Rapids’ benefit from a picturesque new tourist attraction?  A wild, scenic, cascading waterfall right downtown?  It’s known by several names; The 6th Street Dam, 4th St. Dam, Fishing Dam and even The Falls.   Read the rest of this entry »

Grand Rapids currently has 5 low head dams downtown.  They are also known as drowning machines.  Most fishermen are aware of the inherent dangers and know to avoid them.

“I thought maybe it was gonna be a little dam that I could go over like the whitewater rafters.  It didn’t work out like that,”  said Joe Hileski.  “I almost died.”  On Wednesday April 8, 2009, Joe set out for an adventure on the Grand River. 

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