City Utilities will lower the St. Marys River starting this week to finish critical maintenance that heavy ice and snow forced them to postpone in February.
Crews need dry riverbed access to inspect and repair a large stormwater pipe just downstream of Hosey Dam. Opening the Tainter gates will drop water levels by several feet for roughly two weeks, the utility announced Tuesday.
The work is essential infrastructure upkeep that cannot wait another season.
Why the Project Was Delayed
January and February brought some of the heaviest ice buildup on northeast Indiana rivers in years. Crews attempted to start the job in late January but quickly determined thick ice and unsafe currents made it impossible to work on the exposed pipe.
“Worker safety comes first,” said City Utilities spokesperson Sarah Brown. “We watched the forecasts every day, but the ice simply would not break up fast enough.”
The same winter storms that canceled school for days and closed roads also kept crews off the river until now.
What Residents Will Notice
If you live near the St. Marys or regularly walk, fish, or kayak the riverfront, you will see a dramatic change starting as early as Thursday.
The river between the Ewing Avenue bridge and the State Boulevard bridge will drop to a trickle in some spots, exposing mud flats and rocks that normally stay hidden. Hosey Dam itself will look completely different with water pouring through the open Tainter gates.
City Utilities stresses the drawdown is controlled and temporary. Water levels will return to normal as soon as repairs wrap up, expected around March 25-28, weather permitting.
Impact on Fish and Wildlife
Lower water can stress fish, especially species like smallmouth bass and rock bass that live in the St. Marys year-round.
The Indiana DNR is monitoring the drawdown. Biologists say most fish will move downstream to deeper pools in the Maumee or upstream into the unaffected sections of the St. Marys and St. Joseph rivers.
City Utilities has installed aeration pumps in remaining pools to keep oxygen levels safe for any stranded fish.
Boating and River Access Closed
All boat launches on the St. Marys from Swinney Park to Johnny Appleseed Park will close during the project. Kayakers and canoeists must stay off the water in that stretch.
The Rivers Greenway trails remain open, and City Utilities says the exposed riverbed actually offers a rare chance to see parts of Fort Wayne’s rivers that are normally underwater.
Bigger Picture for Fort Wayne’s Three Rivers
This repair is part of ongoing investment in aging infrastructure beneath our rivers.
The pipe being fixed carries stormwater from large sections of southwest and south Fort Wayne. A failure would send untreated runoff straight into the St. Marys, hurting water quality for everyone downstream.
The project also gives engineers a close look at Hosey Dam itself, a structure built in the 1920s that plays a key role in flood control for the entire city.
City Utilities has spent more than $180 million since 2018 upgrading underground pipes and river infrastructure. Residents are seeing the results in fewer sewer overflows and cleaner rivers.
The swift return to this postponed work shows the utility learned from last winter’s delays and moved quickly once conditions improved.
Fort Wayne’s rivers define us. Keeping the hidden pipes and dams that protect them in top shape is work most of us never see, until we need it most.
What do you think about seeing the St. Marys run so low? Have you ever walked the exposed riverbed during a past drawdown? Drop your thoughts and photos below, and use #StMarysDrawdown if you share on social media.
