Beware of Unstable Ice Conditions (media release, February 7, 2022)

The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) reminds the public that going onto frozen water bodies for recreational activities is hazardous. Parents and guardians are encouraged to remind their children of the danger and to keep pets away from all water bodies.

Frozen flood control reservoirs, ponds, and other water bodies on UTRCA property are not monitored for the purpose of winter recreation and may not be safe. Ice conditions are susceptible to daily changes in temperature, wind, precipitation, and underwater currents.

Anyone who falls through the ice or into open water could experience hypothermia and death within minutes. Snow covered banks adjacent to rivers and creeks also pose a serious hazard, when combined with cold water.

Find out how the UTRCA manages floods.

Contact: Emily Chandler, Research and Communications Assistant