Renovation work at the Rio 2016 Olympic rowing and canoe sprint venue will begin in April, organizers said on Wednesday.

The project includes the construction of a new finish tower and the refurbishment of existing boat houses at the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas venue.

A network of underwater metal structures will also be installed to support lane markings, timing equipment and television cameras.

"These improvements will elevate the course from being at a level adequate for local competitions to being capable of hosting any kind of rowing or canoe sprint competitions in the coming decades," Rio 2016 venue management director Gustavo Nascimento said.

"The new system will be the most modern available but will cause minimal environmental impact."

Rio's state government will be responsible for the work, which is expected to be completed by July.

The Olympic rowing test event in August will be the first chance to test the new facilities.

"All of the work is being done with the legacy in mind," state government spokesman Rodrigo Vieira said.

"We did a study of the soil and the water depth in order to discover the best materials to use and the best way to execute the project. The structure will be under water, in order to not disrupt the surface." Endi

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