Illinois-Central Lake on U.S. Highway 51 in McComb is being drained for upgrades to the dam.

CN Railroad notified local residents by letter of the work.

The railroad says the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality wants it to bring the existing dam structure into compliance with new safety regulations.

Railroad spokesman Patrick Waldron says the project includes rebuilding or replacing drainage and overflow pipes located in and under the lake bed and dam.

He says the 14-acre lake will be completely drained, which will take about a week. Work on the dam will take five to six weeks. The lake should refill in about 90 days and restocked with fish.