Beware of Unstable Ice Conditions (media release, January 21, 2021)

Jan 21, 2021 – The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) and municipal emergency response agencies are concerned about the increased public use of frozen reservoirs and ponds for activities such as skating and ice fishing.

The UTRCA reminds the public that going onto frozen water bodies for recreational activities is hazardous. With schools closed and many families at home, parents 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 throughout the Upper Thames River watershed 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.

People going onto frozen water bodies put both the public and the municipal first responders at risk. Anyone who falls through the ice could experience hypothermia and death within minutes. Banks adjacent to rivers and creeks are very slippery and, when combined with cold water, also pose a serious hazard.

Find out how the UTRCA manages floods.

Contact: Steve Sauder, Marketing Specialist