Grand River Conservation Authority warning of unsafe ice conditions, flood risk

The Grand River Conservation Authority is warning about unsafe ice conditions and spring flooding.

The overall flood risk throughout the Grand River watershed is considered high.

Much of the watershed has seen above average precipitation and temperatures have fallen below the long-term average this month.

This has resulted in a snowpack with higher than average water content and intact, but unsafe, ice conditions on many local water bodies.

The conservation authority is asking the public to stay off all unmonitored water bodies due to unsafe conditions.

GRCA Watershed Conditions Statement – Flood Outlook: High risk of spring flooding, ice conditions remain unsafe

More details: https://t.co/CDk9Fxaqnr#ONStorm #ONFlood #ONwx pic.twitter.com/Cd561zw5pA

— GRCA Flood Messages (@grca_flood_msg) February 22, 2021

On Sunday, police rescued a pair of hikers from an ice floe in Georgian Bay.

The hikers had been walking on ice at the Bruce Peninsula National Park outside Tobermory, when the ice they were on broke.

A helicopter picked up the hikers with a ladder after the ice floe had drifted almost three kilometres from shore.

Officials warn ice conditions can change quickly and are susceptible to daily changes in underwater currents, temperature and precipitation.

Anyone who falls through the ice could experience hypothermia and death within minutes.

According to the conservation authority Lake Erie is mostly ice covered, increasing the risk of ice jam related flooding at the mouth of the Grand River.

A very high risk for continued flooding and erosion remains along the Lake Erie shoreline due to the high lake level.