USACE to hold public scoping meeting for Grand River Upper Reach Revitalization Project

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Detroit District, has issued a Supplemental Notice of Intent to prepare a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Grand River Upper Reach Revitalization: Sea Lamprey Control and Habitat Improvement Project in Grand Rapids.

A public scoping meeting will be held:

Public Scoping Meeting

Date: Wednesday, April 22

Time: 4 to 7 p.m. Short presentations will be given at 4:30 and 6 p.m.

Location: Grand Rapids Public Schools University, 1400 Fuller Ave. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505

The proposed project includes removing the aging 6th Street Dam and constructing a new barrier designed to block invasive sea lamprey while improving passage for native fish species. The project aims to restore natural river conditions and enhance aquatic habitat. The EIS will evaluate project alternatives, environmental impacts, and potential effects on sensitive species, including the federally endangered snuffbox mussel.

Sea lampreys, native to the Atlantic Ocean, are invasive to the Great Lakes. They entered the basin through shipping canals and were first seen in Lake Erie in November 1921. Sea lampreys spawn in streams once and then die. Their offspring live as harmless larvae in river bottoms for several years before transforming into parasitic adults and migrating to open lake. In the lake, sea lampreys spend about 18 months feeding on fishes’ body fluids using a large suction‑cup mouth filled with sharp, horn‑shaped teeth surrounding a razor‑sharp rasping tongue. Each sea lamprey is capable of killing up to 40 pounds (18 kg) of fish. Sea lamprey control in the basin is administered by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

USACE invites agencies, stakeholders and the public to participate in the scoping process and provide input on issues and alternatives to be considered in the EIS.

For more information, visit www.lrd.usace.army.mil/.

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