Making the rapids grand again

Talking Michigan Transportation · Sep 30, 2026 · 41m · transcript

This week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast features conversations with two people instrumental in a project to restore the rapids to the Grand River in Grand Rapids.

First, Matt Chapman, executive director of Grand Rapids Whitewater, talks about the history of the river (Michigan’s longest at 252 miles), why dams were installed and the why the rapids were cleared in the first place. He also talks about the unique opportunity to provide benefits to the environment, wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities in a river that falls 18 feet within the city of Grand…