OGDENSBURG, NY — The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is advising ice fishermen to stay off the ice where the Oswegatchie River meets the St. Lawrence River due to an ice jam. Flooding is an immediate concern as the temperatures are predicted to warm up over the weekend and through early next week.
Directed by Governor Cuomo, New York State agencies are monitoring ice jams and potential ice jam formations statewide and are prepared to deploy assets as needed to assist in preventing and mitigating damage. People living in areas that are prone to ice jam flooding should take precautions and monitor local weather forecasts for changing conditions.
Four inches of solid ice is usually safe for anglers on foot. However, ice thickness can vary on waterbodies and even on the same waterbody. Anglers should be particularly wary of areas of moving water and around boat docks and houses where bubblers may be installed to reduce ice buildup. The presence of snowmobile tracks or footprints on the ice is not evidence of safe ice conditions. Individuals are strongly encouraged to check ice conditions and avoid situations that appear to present even a remote risk. Testing the thickness of ice can easily be done with an auger or ice spud at various spots.
