REGINA — With the arrival of snow and colder temperatures, the Water Security Agency is reminding the public to ensure that ice is thick enough to safely walk, drive or snowmobile on.
Ice thickness can be deceptive and unpredictable at times, the agency warns. It does not freeze at a uniform thickness and its strength can vary considerably from one area to another.
The agency advises checking the ice thickness before travelling on it. Their guidelines at least 10 centimetres of ice to walk on, 20 centimetres to drive a snowmobile or ATV on, 30 centimetres to drive a car or light truck on and more than 30 centimetres to support a heavy truck.
Guidelines are provided to help individuals decide whether to venture onto the ice. Thickness is just one consideration when evaluating ice safety. Clear, hard ice is the only ice recommended for travel.
Ice should be re-evaluated on every date visited, even if it was safe on a previous date. The date that ice becomes safe at a site varies from year-over-year requiring the verification of the thickness each year as opposed to relying on past experiences.
Also avoid ice that:
- looks slushy;
- has thawed, then froze again;
- is near moving water;
- is layered, caused by sudden temperature changes; or
- has structures on it, such as pressure ridges.
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