It won’t be too long before we will be able to skate on one of Saskatchewan’s many lakes again. The Water Security Agency is reminding the public about safety, ensuring the ice is think enough to safely walk, drive or snowmobile on.

Minister Responsible for the WSA, Jeremy Cockrill, recommends checking ice thickness every time you venture out. He adds that ice thickness can be deceptive and unpredictable, because it doesn’t freeze at a uniform thickness, so the strength can vary from one area to another. The WSA’s thickness guideline is at least 10 centimetres of ice to walk on, 20 centimetres to drive a snowmobile or ATV, 30 centimetres for a car or light truck and more than 30 to support a heavy truck. Avoid ice that looks slushy, has thawed and then frozen again, is near moving water, is layered because of sudden temperature changes or has structures on it, such as pressure ridges.