WATERVILLE – A portion of the West River Road dam gave way Saturday afternoon, forcing police to evacuate several people.

A section of the dam’s facade, approximately 25 feet high and 100 feet wide, collapsed into the Messalonskee Stream, according to Waterville police officer Thomas Rowe.

Officials from Energy of Maine, owned by a Florida utility, scrambled to drain the impoundment so engineers could assess how to repair the dam. The drawdown exposed most of the streambed up to the next dam on the Messalonskee.

Police also closed the boat landing on Water Street.

Empty buildings formerly used by Central Maine Power Co. buildings sit next to and on top of the dam.