GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Larry Bauer can’t wait for the day when workers begin removing a series of dams along the Grand River and bring back the city’s namesake rapids.

The Plainfield Township resident likes the “beauty” of the river and says that restoring it to its original state “will change the whole town.” He dreams of commuting to work by boat and having a safe place to dock his vessel during the day.

“I want it to get rolling,” said Bauer, 61. “Every year they talk about it, but it’s like ‘let’s get it going.”

He was one of several dozen people who attended an open house Monday hosted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at DeVos Place Convention Center. The agency is gathering public input as it prepares to begin examining the project’s environmental impact.

The project is being led by Grand Rapids Whitewater, which wants to restore the rapids by removing five dams between Sixth and Pearl streets in downtown Grand Rapids. The project carries a $44 million price tag.

Chip Richards, the co-founder of Grand Rapids Whitewater, said Monday’s event gave his organization a chance to hear directly from community members.

“A lot of this stuff we’ve already gone over with our engineers and biologists, but it’s important to hear from people who have actual experience getting in the river,” he said.

During Monday’s event, attendees were encouraged to share their thoughts about the project, and discuss how they would use the river if it were restored.

The Corps’ review is focusing on a 1.6 mile stretch of the project, between I-196 and Ann Street NW.

It will examine how the project will impact the river’s fish and wildlife habitat, including how the project’s planners expect to block the invasive Sea lamprey from migrating further east once the Sixth Street dam is removed.

It will also touch on how the restoration work will impact flooding and the endangered snuffbox mussel.

By gathering public feedback on the project, the Corps’ will be able to provide — if necessary —alternatives that fit the community’s vision for the project but lessen any negative environmental impacts, said Charlie Uhlarik, chief of the environmental analysis branch at the Corps’ Detroit district.

“We need public input to help us scope the project,” he said.

Anna VanderLaan attended the open house with her classmates from Kendall College of Art and Design. She’s interested in urban and environmental design and said she “loves” the idea of bringing back the rapids.

“I think that’s beautiful, and that should be encouraged,” said VanderLaan, who got an opportunity to hold an Sea lamprey at an exhibit hosted by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission.

“Keep those out,” she added, pointing to the lamprey, a bloodsucking parasite that can wreak havoc on the native fish population.

The Corps’ draft environmental impact statement is expected to take a year to complete. It will then go out for additional public comment.

If it receives the necessary permits, Grand Rapids Whitewater plans to start its work in the Grand River by 2021 or 2022, Richards said. The work could be wrapped up by 2024 or 2025, he said.