Recognizing the important social, recreational and economic benefits provided by rowing clubs on the Grand River, GRWW and the City have spent considerable time studying the river bottom and the hydraulic features of the river in the Riverside Park area.
As part of the Upper Reach project, the City and GRWW have advocated for the removal of the Sixth Street dam and the installation of an Adjustable Hydraulic Structure (AHS) approximately one mile upstream of the existing dam. The AHS would serve as an important barrier to invasive sea lamprey and could potentially be used, in accordance with appropriate state/federal laws, to maintain water levels upstream of the structure. The AHS is just one of 14 possible alternatives being considered as part of the upper reach project. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been contracted by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission to conduct the Environmental Impact Statement Process and thoroughly analyze the impacts of all alternatives. As part of the future EIS process, additional public input will likely be sought on the impacts to rowing as a result of the potential alternatives being considered for the upstream project.