Water levels on the St. Joseph River north of the St. Joseph Dam will be lowered this weekend in order to install flashboards at the dam.

City Utilities installs the flashboards each spring in the spring to increase the amount of water held behind the dam. This ensures that Fort Wayne has an adequate supply of water during peak summer months.

Lowering of the river level will begin at midnight on Saturday May 14, to allow the dam’s spillway to dry so staff members can safely walk on the spillway to install the flashboards.

Weather permitting the installation will occur on Monday May 16, and river levels should return to normal by Thursday of next week.