Water Security Agency issues safety reminder for people to watch out for ice thickness

Ice is usually forming at this time of year on bodies of water across the province, but warm weather is making that treacherous.

Saskatchewan's Water Security Agency detailed some of the risks people should watch for if they decide to go out on the ice.

Spokesperson Patrick Boyle says that while some ice and snow have appeared, people should take a second look before hopping on.

"Just want to make sure everyone's aware of and remind the public to that they always check that ice and ensure the safety before they go out onto that, whether that's walking, driving or using a snowmobile because at this time of year can be particularly dangerous given that ice thickness can be a bit deceptive and unpredictable at times, and it may seem like it's able to step on a couple of steps or there is some cover on there, but at the end of the day we're really not in a place yet in most areas across the province that have the proper ice thickness."

How thick the ice needs to be depends on what you'll be moving on top of it.

"Generally the guidelines that we look at is it's about four inches for a person to walk on there, eight inches for a snowmobile, 12 for a car, and 12 inches plus for a pickup truck or a larger vehicle. So that's kind of what we recommend as the guidelines, but keep in mind every time you go out onto the ice, it can change. So as you're doing those wintertime activities, it's always a really good idea to check that ice thickness before you go." 

Courtesy of Saskatchewan Water Security Agency

Even if you have checked the ice during previous days, Boyle recommends being extra careful and checking again just in case.

"We really haven't got into the colder temperatures at this point in time. Even once we do have the colder temperatures it's always a best practice to check that ice thickness even in the middle of winter, just to make sure because depending on where you are, some reservoirs and areas may have water moving underneath them and that can impact some of that ice thickness depending on the area that you're in. So it's always a good practice to check that before you go."

In response to Canada's Online News Act and Meta (Facebook and Instagram) removing access to local news from their platforms, DiscoverEstevan encourages you to get your news directly from your trusted source by bookmarking this page and downloading the DiscoverEstevan app.