What do people do on frozen lakes?

While ice fishing is the most common activity we see on frozen waters in Minnesota, that is not the only way to explore our frozen lakes on foot. Many Minnesotans enjoy snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, ice skating, iceboating, windsurfing, and kiteboarding among other activities on the ice.



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Water currents, wind, and snow coverage will also make a difference in the integrity of the frozen surface. So once the weather and temperatures stabilize after several weeks, you can venture onto the ice and inspect its thickness. Ice is not considered safe to walk on until it is at least four inches thick.

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The sudden shock of the cold water can quickly impact your breathing, your heart rate and your blood pressure enough so that it can be life-threatening. You are then at a greater risk of drowning.

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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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Water under the ice typically stays very cold, but above freezing. Most lakes that form ice at the surface stay at about 4oC most of the winter months.

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Do fish die in frozen lakes or in lakes that are partially frozen? Since fish are cold-blooded animals, they can survive because they are able to regulate their body temperature to match their environment. However, they could die if a body of water freezes over completely and remains frozen for an extended period.

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Thick ice weakens slowly, but it also recovers slowly. While two inches of ice might last only two hours in moderate thaw conditions, a foot or more of ice can last several days.

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In water that is around the freezing point, a person is likely to survive only 15 to 45 minutes with flotation and possibly up to an hour or so with flotation and protective gear before the brain and heart stop (Table 1). The surface temperature of Lake Superior in early to mid-summer is about 40 to 50 F.

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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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