MONTICELLO, Ind. (AP) _ Federal officials have drafted a plan to lessen the economic impact of required water releases from a popular northwestern Indiana reservoir's dam.

The operator of Lake Freeman's dam, Northern Indiana Public Service Co., is under a federal order to release water from the Oakdale Dam to protect endangered species of mussels.

Those water releases have significantly dropped the lake's water level this summer, impacting businesses in Monticello, a White County community that relies on tourism and recreation.

The Journal & Courier reports (http://on.jconline.com/1oA0Di8 ) that a plan outlined Thursday by officials from three Indiana congressmen's offices, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and NIPSCO calls for more gauges to monitor the lake's level, revised procedures for monitoring water flow and more advance notice to residents when the lake must be lowered.