FORT WAYNE, Ind., December 2, 2014 - Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) will begin the annual drawdown of the St. Joseph River, upstream of the Elkhart Hydroelectric Generating Station, on Monday, December 8, 2014. 

The water level will be lowered two feet (about six inches per day) to reduce ice buildup at County Road 17 Bridge. 

Residents who live along the St. Joseph River within eight miles upstream of the Elkhart generating station may wish to make note of this in case there is any work they would like to finish along the river bank before the level rises back to its normal level.

The water level will be returned to its normal operating level of 741.5 feet above sea level in early spring. The drawdown is conducted in accordance with the Elkhart project’s operating license issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

The Elkhart hydroelectric facility is one of six run-of-river hydroelectric plants on the St. Joseph River owned and operated by I&M. The facility generates 3.44 megawatts of electricity; the equivalent of serving about 3,500 homes. I&M operates the Elkhart Hydroelectric Generating Station in accordance with its license issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.