ST. PAUL, Minn. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, next week will begin the process of lowering Homme Dam, near Park River, North Dakota, to prepare for spring snow melt.

The pool elevation at Homme Dam is currently at 1,078 feet. Draw down of this reservoir will begin on Monday, March 20. The release from the reservoir will increase to 45 cubic feet per second. The reservoir will be lowered to a target elevation of 1,064 feet by mid-April if weather conditions allow.

Additionally, the Corps plans to hold the elevation of Lake Ashtabula, located near Valley City, North Dakota, at the current elevation of 1,257 feet until the snow melt begins.

As a result of the changes, the surrounding water levels may change with little or no warning. The public is urged to use caution near the water, especially when going out on the ice upriver and downriver from the dams.