GRAND RAPIDS -- A restoration and design firm with experience developing whitewater paddling parks has been selected by area enthusiasts to create drawings and plans for restoring the rapids in the Grand River downtown.

RiverRestoration, a company in Glenwood Springs, Colo., was chosen from a final field of four firms, according Grand Rapids Whitewater co-founder Chris Muller. The firm has a number of projects in Colorado, North Carolina and on the Yukon River.

"They all came to town and gave presentations in May. We felt they had the best approach to our river -- which is restoration," Muller said. "Some of the firms concentrate on recreation, but we would like to restore the rapids that were here before."

Muller said the contract is being negotiated through the law firm of Warner, Norcoss and Judd and is expected to be signed soon.

RiverRestoration will pair with Fishbeck Thompson Carr & Huber Inc., a civil engineering firm with headquarters in Grand Rapids. Muller said it was important there be a local engineering firm involved on the job.

The current contract, he said, will cover the first phase of the project design and engineering. The drawings, plans, surveys and studies are expected to cost $400,000, or more.

GRWW raised $50,000 last year. It raised $5,000 in cash and

in Grand Rapids. That money leveraged a $25,000 challenge grant from the Grand Rapids Downtown Development Authority.

Construction costs will depend on the final vision for the city. Muller said there are $1 million river projects and $30 million projects.

"We are not looking for a $30 million Olympic training course," Muller said. "But we do want to make Grand Rapids proud of what we are doing."

GRWW’s vision is to restore the river rapids between Coldbrook Creek and Fulton St., Muller said. The Coldbrook Creek outflow is upstream of the 4th Street dam. He called the turbulent waters immediately downstream of the dam dangerous and said he would like to see those risks addressed.

However, the group’s primary focus is further downstream, where a series of low-head dams create other dangerous hydraulics in the river.

Muller and others would like to see those removed and potentially replaced with other rocky structures that might create better fish habitat and a good ride for paddlers.

"This is not just about a whitewater park," said Chip Richards, GRWW’s other co-founder. There’s no question we like a good wave, but it’s evolved beyond that. We are discussing sturgeon habitat and our goal is habitat for salmon and steelhead. We are looking at the whole river."

Michigan Department of Natural Resources fisheries staff have said they support improving habitat for fish in the river. And though the agency has expressed a desire to see the 4th Street dam removed to improve fish passage up the Grand River, staff acknowledge that the dam currently plays an important roll in limiting the upstream migration of sea lamprey.

"My understanding is that they would leave 4th Street dam off the table for now," said Jay Wesley, the DNR fisheries supervisor for southwest Michigan. "There’s going to be a lot more issues and they want to get going on this. The big issue will be stopping sea lamprey.

Muller said he hopes to see a plan that will make the river safer for paddlers and good for anglers and the community at large. He anticipates having a preliminary concept, design and river survey back from RiverRestoration in late September.

E-mail Howard Meyerson: hmeyerson@grpress.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/HMeyerson