# Grand Rapids dam



## Jmsteele187 (Dec 22, 2011)

With a lot of dams coming down across the country and fisheries being improved because of it, I wonder what you guys thought about the GR dam coming down? Or the independence dam for that matter.


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## 1mecheng (Jul 28, 2009)

I don't think GR dam will come down ... too much recreation upstream created by the rise in water level (Mary Jane Thurston, etc.).
Just my $0.02 worth.

Dan


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## Jdivence (Mar 21, 2012)

I agree. Too much recreation money at stake if the dam comes down.


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## MuskieDan (Nov 8, 2012)

Yep, no chance lance. That dam is old as dirt, and to be honest I don't know how much the river would benefit from its removal. The Maumee already keeps a great flow year round, I personally wouldn't like to see the flow increase any. It would be cool to see how the river would change though.


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## Jmsteele187 (Dec 22, 2011)

I'm not advocating the removal of the dam or anything. I'm just curious to hear all of your thoughts on the subject. Keep them coming. This is only mu 5th year fishing the maumee, so I'm still learning the river. How much deeper is the river up river from the dam? I haven't spent much time at all above the dam.


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## MuskieDan (Nov 8, 2012)

Jmsteele187 said:


> I'm not advocating the removal of the dam or anything. I'm just curious to hear all of your thoughts on the subject. Keep them coming. This is only mu 5th year fishing the maumee, so I'm still learning the river. How much deeper is the river up river from the dam? I haven't spent much time at all above the dam.
> 
> 
> Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


It's a consistent 9-12'. Gets closer to 3-6' just above the dam in the "beware" section. Very flat, featureless bottom for the most part. There are some holes and a few sandbars, but they're usually full of people drinking beer. It's nice to join them on the slow days though.


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## maumee_bowman (Feb 23, 2011)

the dam is there for a reason too besides recreation, it keeps the town from flooding and gr already floods it cant come down


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## Jmsteele187 (Dec 22, 2011)

maumee_bowman said:


> the dam is there for a reason too besides recreation, it keeps the town from flooding and gr already floods it cant come down


They used to say that about the dams on the raisin river in Monroe too. But they took out, I think, three dams and Monroe hasn't flooded out yet. Either way its just a hypothetical question, thanks for your input. 


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## 1mecheng (Jul 28, 2009)

I wonder how much of the mud/silt that is caught behind the dam would move downstream and ruin the walleye and smallmouth fisheries by covering the nice rocky bottom (if the dam were removed)?

Dan


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

Couple of Questions:

Do walleye make it past the dam during high water events during the run?

How many riffle areas are exposed upstream of the dam, all the way up the the Independence dam?

There's probably less silt and gravel than you would think.


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## Fisherman 3234 (Sep 8, 2008)

You can basically take a boat from MJ dam all the way to Gerty's Island past Napolean, that is where the water starts to get shallow. Not to say it would be impossible but it would be difficult for walleye to get above MJ or Providence dams, usually walleye don't reach that far up stream below the dam till later in the run, when the water is lower.


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## maumee_bowman (Feb 23, 2011)

Mushijobah said:


> Couple of Questions:
> 
> Do walleye make it past the dam during high water events during the run?
> 
> ...


a wildlife officer told me the independence has its own walleye run with some walleye, no where near as many though as that of below the providence dam. He also said they put a camera in a channel through ice and saw a group of walleye and were able to catch some when he was off duty


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## Bucket Mouth (Aug 13, 2007)

Mushijobah said:


> Couple of Questions:
> 
> Do walleye make it past the dam during high water events during the run?
> 
> ...


I would think that it would have to be AWFULLY high for fish to swim past the dam. I'm not sure of exact height of it, but I'd estimate it at 7 or 8 feet high above the water when the water is at 580.

My guess is that the walleye above the dam are resident fish and that there is little to no lake run fish that go above the dam.


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## KaGee (Sep 8, 2006)

It's my opinion that the lake run walleye don't venture much beyond Waterville.


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## die4irish (Jun 8, 2004)

KaGee said:


> It's my opinion that the lake run walleye don't venture much beyond Waterville.


I like your thinking. it keeps people away from my "other" spots


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## DeathFromAbove (Oct 21, 2008)

Bucket Mouth said:


> I would think that it would have to be AWFULLY high for fish to swim past the dam. I'm not sure of exact height of it, but I'd estimate it at 7 or 8 feet high above the water when the water is at 580.
> 
> My guess is that the walleye above the dam are resident fish and that there is little to no lake run fish that go above the dam.


Thats probably what the people of Grand Rapids call it when there are fish swimming downtown. "Awefully High" The river blows over that dam at high water like its not even there.


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