What are the holes in the frozen lake?

If you see a hole, it could mean you are already on thin ice! Springs that transport groundwater to the surface can be identified by rust- colored deposits. The water transported toward the surface from deeper aquifers is barely above freezing. Snow provides insulation over thin layers of ice formed in the fall.



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Only the top layer of the lake or river freezes. Underneath the frozen upper layer, the water remains in its liquid form and does not freeze. Also, oxygen is trapped beneath the layer of ice. As a result, fish and other aquatic animals find it possible to live comfortably in the frozen lakes and ponds.

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In actuality, ice circles occur when moving water forces ice to slowly rotate. “What's happening here is shear—when on one side of the ice you have water that's moving faster than on the other side causing the ice to rotate,” Jackson says.

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“When you fall in the water and it's freezing, the first thing you do is kind of take a big gasp of air, and that causes you to hyperventilate. Your heart rate goes up.” There's also the risk of hypothermia, which can set in after 15 to 30 minutes in freezing water, Coker says.

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AIce floats on a lake's surface until it is melted. Although it sometimes floats low in the water, it does not sink to the bottom, as some mistakenly believe. Water is heaviest at 39 degrees, lighter at higher or lower temperatures.

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Do not attempt to cross this ice. Watch for rivulets flowing on the ice or streams flowing under it. Even when the surface looks solid, a current under the ice causes erosion from below.

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When is it safe to walk on a frozen lake? As a general rule of thumb, ice is safe to walk on when there is 4 inches or more of clear ice. It is important to understand that different types of ice varying in their strength. Clear blue or black ice is the strongest.

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Health risks Winter swimming can be dangerous to people who are not used to swimming in very cold water. After immersion in cold water the cold shock response will occur, causing an uncontrollable gasp for air. This is followed by hyperventilation, a longer period of more rapid breathing.

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