HOLDREGE, Neb. (AP) — Central Nebraska public power officials are lowering the water level at Johnson Lake to prepare for a maintenance outage.

The draw-down began Tuesday and will continue gradually until about Jan. 22, when maintenance work is scheduled to begin on a hydro plant immediately below the lake. The reservoir will decline to about 8 feet below its current elevation and then return to normal winter levels while maintenance is performed.

Officials say the schedule for raising and lowering the lake could change by a few days, depending on the presence or absence of ice in the Platte River and a supply canal.