In 2013, The Grand River/Grand Rapids (GR/GR) area was selected as one of the now 20 Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP) locations. The GR/GR location has been without an official ambassador until late 2022. The UWFP seeks to accelerate and coordinate projects that are critical to improving water quality and public health, restoring forest resources, and fostering community stewardship in urban watersheds. The focus of the location has been on the restoration of the rapids in the Grand River as it flows through downtown Grand Rapids. Matt Chapman, Project Manager of Grand Rapids Whitewater, and Wendy Ogilvie, director of Environmental Programs at GVMC, have voluntarily been leading the effort since 2013.

In 2022, LGROW secured funding from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and United States Forest Service (USFS) to hire a full-time Urban Waters Ambassador. This Urban Waters Ambassador will join a nation-wide cohort of other Ambassadors assigned to the 20 other UWFP designated locations. The Grand Rapids Ambassador’s work will largely consist of protect, restore, and revitalize urban water sources in the Lower Grand River Watershed.

These goals will be accomplished through continual development of public-private partnerships, promoting environmental education and outreach, and promoting economic revitalization and prosperity through existing networks of urban water resources. The Ambassador will also finalize and continually update a Federally recognized Work Plan for the GR/GR partnership. This workplan is intended to define goals, detail key partners, summarize priority projects that are supplemental to the Grand River Restoration Project, while also specifying milestones.

To learn more information about the Urban Waters Federal Partnership, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/urbanwaterspartners