The Angel of Waters fountain is flowing once again after a long off-season.

NEW ULM — The German Park Angel Fountain is back on after a long off-season.

The fountain was officially turned on Tuesday evening as a soft opening.

Each year the fountain is shut off in the fall before cold weather arrives. The water is turned back on in spring. This year saw a later turn-on date than usual. Park & Rec. Facilities Maintenance Supervisor Ryan Weier said the biggest detriment to turning on the fountain was the long winter. Cold weather persisted into April and was followed by several rain events pushing the start date back further.

Weier said some additional touch-ups were needed to patch the base. This included patches to the plaster surface.

More extensive reconstruction of the fountain’s plaster surface is planned in the next few years. The last major plaster reconstruction was done in 2015.

Weier said the larger plaster resurfacing would likely be done in the fall after the fountain has already been shut down for the year. Repairs should not interfere with the fountains seasonal operation.

The Angel of the Waters fountain was purchased in 1998 and gifted to the city by Barbara Haroldson. The fountain and sculpture is a smaller reproduction based on the Bethesda Fountain in Central Park, New York.

This Bethesda Fountain was dedicated in 1873 to celebrate the healthful properties of New York’s aqueduct and water supply. The name was chosen to honor the biblical healing waters of Bethesda in Jerusalem.