BATAVIA, IL --- The city of Batavia recently installed signage and lighting intended to help keep the area around the Fox River dam in safer. The changes were made after city officials recently learned that the city has ownership of the low-head dam.

Once the city learned of its ownership, they hired a company to determine the size of signage and type of lighting that would be needed to help keep the dam area safe. The signage warns those near the dam of dangerous currents and the potential for flooding. It reads, "Dangerous Currents! This dam can trap and drown a victim." The signage also includes imagery that depicting how swift currents can pull people beneath the water.

Officials warn that because the dam in Batavia is a low-head dam, these conditions can occur even if water flow on the Fox River is low or normal. In a post on the City of Batavia website, officials noted that the signage will help hikers to keep a safe distance from the edge of the Fox River. The signage should also assist those in canoes, boats, and kayaks from getting too close to the dam and possibly being swept over.