Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Kelsey Demmert, 612-919-5918
Hennepin County Sheriff's Office Warns of
Thin Ice on Lakes
February 15, 2023 (Minneapolis) - The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) has responded to multiple incidents of vehicles going through thin ice on Lake Minnetonka over the last several days. HCSO wants to remind the community that while ice is never completely safe, recent warm temperatures have created a more urgent need to use caution on and around the ice. Due to the ongoing poor ice conditions, HCSO strongly advises that ice houses be removed from lake ice as soon as possible.
“Lake ice around the county is in incredibly poor conditions and will present challenges to those who leave ice houses in place,” said HCSO Major Shane Magnuson. “With the cycle of melting and refreezing, ice houses are at risk of becoming stuck in the ice, and vehicles remain at high risk of going through the ice. We cannot recommend highly enough that anglers begin to remove their ice houses now rather than wait for the mandatory removal date.”
Lake Minnetonka’s ice house removal deadline is March 6th; per the DNR all ice houses must be removed from the lake by 11:59pm of that date. The DNR can fine owners if vehicles and ice houses remain on, or in the lake without being retrieved in a reasonable timeframe. Owners are responsible for recovery if their vehicle or ice house goes into the water.
To learn more about water and ice safety, click here. To review the DNR's guidelines for ice shelters and deadlines for removal please visit the link here.
– HCSO–
Look for more news on the Hennepin County Sheriff's website at hennepinsheriff.org.
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