# Grand River at 6th St. Dam



## Whit1 (Apr 27, 2001)

We were in GR yesterday to visit my mom and went down to view the river from the park on the West Side at 6th St. Dam.

The water levels were impressive with the drop over the dam being reduced to about three feet from its norm of about 8 feet. I didn't have the digital camera with me so I have no pix to share. Someone might want to go down there and take a few to share.

The area immediately south of the fish ladder structure is under water and guys are fishing where normally people would be walking. They are catching some fish, mainly sheephead (freshwater drum).

I have seen the river higher many years ago when the flow over the dam was level, with no drop, but rather a rather large backwave.


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## omega58 (Sep 3, 2003)

They said this morning on the news that it won't crest until tomorrow afternoon in Grand Rapids.


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## GVSUKUSH (Mar 9, 2004)

Pretty bad here in Ada on the Grand and Thornapple. I helped the township stack sand bags around the sewage lift station yesterday, I felt like I worked for FEMA. They sent me out to take a pic of an old El Camino in someones backyard that was under water, the person who called was concerned about contaminants, but I don't know how the hell they'll get it outta 4 feet of water  I've been waiting to fish downtown for smallies and who the hell knows what else, but right now wading would not be advised  

Took some pics of the Thornapple yesterday in another thread-

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=68428


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## kielman (May 13, 2004)

I live about 2min from the dam. It is higher than I have seen it in a long time. Personally I have never fished it or near it, but I have watched plenty of people who do. Kind of weird the last couple of years, it used to be elbow to elbow almost all the way across. Now there typically isnt more than a couple people there at any given time. Maybe the quality of the run has dropped? I can snap some pictures if you guys would like to see the water level.


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## GVSUKUSH (Mar 9, 2004)

I've fished down there for going on 7 years now and I think there's been as much or more fishermen down there since I started. It depends alot on when you go down there. If the water is low (in the fall) there will be guys elbow to elbow. In the spring it's harder to wade due to heavy runoff and you won't see guys fishing near the dam as much, this is when you see more guys in boats and the shore fisherman move down to the lower coffer on Bridge st. I went by 6th street today, they're were a few fisherman down there believe it or not.


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## Spoon3234 (Jun 26, 2002)

I heard on the radio this morning that lyons dam was in danger of crumbling.. anyone know anything about this?


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## karl.d (Nov 20, 2003)

I went down to take some pics for you after I got out of work, but my batteries were dead! Woops. I'll do it tomorrow afternoon if I can remember to charge them up!


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## Whit1 (Apr 27, 2001)

GR is my hometown. Until I was 13 we lived on Third St. Between Front ST. and Scribner St a few hundred hards to the SW of the dam. Back then there was a power canal above and to the west of the river. The canal began at the present site of the fish ladder.

Kiel,
Where do you live?

Take some photos and post them in here.


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## kielman (May 13, 2004)

I live near the intersection of Alpine and Leonard. I would love to start fishing some there, but I am not too experienced when it comes to wading. Maybe a few of us could get together and go down there sometime.

GVSUKUSH, did u graduate from grand valley? I just finished up and graduated this past april.


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## GVSUKUSH (Mar 9, 2004)

Yup, I graduated last spring and I live about a minute from ya. I just bought a new house on the corner of Garfield and Richmond street, right up by Richmond park. Give me a shout if you want to head down there sometime and learn the ropes. Ideally, when the water gets low this summer, then you can see the problem areas and know where to walk and where not to.

Corner of Alpine and Leonard, isn't there a nudie movie theater near there? :SHOCKED:


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## karl.d (Nov 20, 2003)

I live in Holland but I work downtown. I'll take some pics tomorrow afternoon.


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## kielman (May 13, 2004)

You must be referring to Capri No. 3. Funny how you know that!!! J/K. I will definetely take you up on your offer, and appreciate it as well.

Josh


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## Whit1 (Apr 27, 2001)

kielman said:


> Maybe a few of us could get together and go down there sometime.


When the water goes down this summer I'll be down to visit my mom who lives in Villa Marie Retirement HOme on Valley and Walker and fish for carp in front of the dam. Let me know when the rocks begin to show in front of the dam. I was thinking maybe we could have a mini outing for carp sometime in July or August.

From the time I was in the 8th grade until college I was brought up on Valley Ave. two blocks from Walker. I was also a Richmond Pool rat and also life guarded there.


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## PineIsland (Aug 15, 2001)




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## PineIsland (Aug 15, 2001)




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## bigsid (Jan 13, 2003)

Man that's something else! I'm going to take the family down there tomorrow and check it out. Hard to believe during the fall, it's only about knee deep out to the holes along the dam. I'll post pics if it's higher.

Take care...Sid


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## ShimanoReels (Apr 18, 2004)

I was coming home from work today, and there we tons of fire trucks and police at west river drive and northand..i figued it was another accedent, so i went around to Jupiter bridge, and there we stil tons of cops and fire trucks...so odds are that the Grand Isle Golf Course is completely underwater, and i do believe the water is over the west river drive. I do recall the news saying that the grand will peak tomorrow afternoon sometime.


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## Whit1 (Apr 27, 2001)

Pine Island,
Thanks for the pix. The water looks to be at least a foot, maybe two, higher than when we were there on Tuesday. Was there a drop over the actual dam? From the looks of your photos I'd think not.


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## PineIsland (Aug 15, 2001)




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## silversides (Aug 16, 2002)

while those photos are pretty accurate, you cant see from the photos how powerful the hydraulics by the dam are right now without being there. there is so much water being pushed over the dam that the boils arn't coming up till 20-30 yards downstream. there is no possible way someone would get out if they got sucked in right now.


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