Officials in Tempe are preparing for the next phase of the Tempe Town Lake dam replacement project. Crews are on schedule to remove the lake water on Feb. 10.
The water will be pumped into an Salt River Project canal on the north side of the lake where it will be stored until about the end of April.
While the lake is drained, crews will be removing the previous rubber bladder dam system and performing other lake maintenance.
Tempe city officials said they are taking steps to remove as many fish as possible before any water is drained. They also plan to treat for mosquitoes and other insects.
Construction for the new dam began in the summer of 2014. The dam is expected to last more than 50 years.
