The city built the dam just south of 16th Street in 1899 to create a boating area called Lake Indy for Riverside Park. About 19 feet high from its foundation, the dam altered the river for more than four miles upstream. It was used for recreation, not flood control or public water supply.

The dam partially collapsed in October 2018, and the city made emergency repairs using a smaller rock structure. This year, Indianapolis secured about $875,000 in grants to remove the barrier. Most of the funding came from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with additional support from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and The Nature Conservancy.

The removal is intended to restore movement through the river and make the waterway and nearby parks safer. Jerry Sweeten, whose company has worked on removing more than 23 low-head dams in Indiana, said about 150 fish species live in the White River and at least 85% need to move upstream and downstream during their life cycles.

Those movements also matter for freshwater mussels, many of which depend on fish to carry them through a river. Sweeten said dam removals commonly lead to more species being found in an area.

The city initially considered removing two towers on the riverbanks as well as the in-stream structure. But after discussions with historic preservation agencies, it decided to leave the towers in place, including one known locally as the Beer Tower, said Gavin Merriman, design manager with the city’s Department of Public Works.

Merriman said residents who spoke with the department before work began were supportive. The city expects the removal work to finish Dec. 18, with remaining administrative and behind-the-scenes work continuing into February 2027. Afterward, it plans to monitor the river’s ecosystem, water flow and movement for a year.