Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Edgar Linares, 612-919-5918
Ice Out 2019 Declared on Lake Minnetonka
April 20, 2019 (Minneapolis) - The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, in partnership with Freshwater, has declared Ice Out for Lake Minnetonka on April 20, 2019 at approximately 1:46 p.m. The longstanding tradition of declaring Ice Out on Lake Minnetonka is the official start to the boating season.
The HCSO Water Patrol unit routinely patrols Lake Minnetonka to monitor ice thickness. Lake Minnetonka is just over 14,500 acres in size with 37 bays.
Today, around 1:46 p.m., HCSO deputies, along with members of Freshwater, were able to safely pilot a patrol boat through all of the lake’s channels and bays without obstruction by ice.
The combination of last week’s snow storm and this Wednesday’s rainfall accelerated the ice melt, dissolving some ice slabs in bays from nine inches of ice and slush to water.
Freshwater and HCSO have jointly declared Ice Out for over a decade. The average Ice Out declaration falls around April 14. The record early Ice Out declaration was March 17 in 2016. The record late Ice Out declaration was May 5, recorded in 1857 and 2018.
“We know that people always look forward to getting back on the water, especially after a long and difficult winter like the last one,” said Hennepin County Sheriff David P. Hutchinson. “We would like to remind everyone to keep basic water safety in mind, so they can have a long, healthy and enjoyable boating season.”
The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office is urging people to take precautions when they are on the water – or near water. Here are some safety reminders:
- Use caution when boating on Lake Minnetonka. There are many navigational buoys that are not in place yet.
- It’s especially important to wear a life jacket when boating. At this time, water temperatures on all bodies of water are cold. If you were to fall into water, hypothermia happens quickly in these conditions.
- When boating or spending time near water, let someone know where you are going and when you will return.
- Parents and caregivers are urged to supervise children when they are near the water.
- In addition, Sophie’s Law requires that all recreational boats that have an enclosed accommodation compartment, including sailboats with motors, must be equipped with a watercraft carbon monoxide detector.
– HCSO–
 Look for more news on
the Hennepin County Sheriff's website at http://www.hennepinsheriff.org.
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