A lot of people worldwide were watching to see how the course went. What started as one man s vision, soon became a city s reality. And by the end of summer of 1998, the Williamston Red Cedar Rapids Project opened its course to the first kayaker Noonan himself. Although the Williamston Red Cedar Rapids Project isn t the first man-made rapids area in the country, it is the first of its kind in Michigan. The course in Williamston, which runs 1,000 feet and drops six feet, is much less extravagant than those other courses, mostly because it relies less on engineering and more on the natural features of the Red Cedar, said Rich Whale, the designer engineer.
Different sites hold different opportunities, though.
But less extravagant doesn t always mean less demanding. Noonan said the University of Michigan at Flint, Oakland Community College, Eastern Michigan University and Albion College are all interested in moving their kayaking and canoeing classes to the course in Williamston. The Red Cedar project includes four small drops and a broad range of flow, between three cubic feet per second to 3,000 cubic feet per second. It s a small-scale project, says Noonan. Much smaller than anything else in the world, to my knowledge.