ICE THICKNESS
Please note that thin ice and open water have been seen in multiple lakes throughout the region.
Each winter, the municipality regularly tests ice thickness at more than 80 lakes in the Halifax region, primarily in the urban core. Ice thickness reports for lakes tested by the municipality will be available to the public on a weekly basis, beginning in January.
Residents are urged to always assess each situation and its conditions before taking a step onto the ice of any lake or body of water.
Ice thickness should be:
- 15 cm for walking or skating alone
- 20 cm for skating parties or games
- 25 cm for snowmobiles
Be safe. Avoid going out on ice at night and always check conditions before venturing out.
Many factors affect ice thickness including:
- Water depth and size of body of water
- Currents, tides and other moving water
- Chemicals including salt
- Fluctuations in water levels
- Logs, rocks and docks absorbing heat from the sun
- Changing air temperature
- Shock waves from vehicles traveling on the ice
| Location | Location Checked | Centimeters | Comments | Date Last Tested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albro Lake (Big) | Beach Area | 23 cm | 01/17/2019 | |
| Albro Lake (Little) | #27 Limardo Dr | 25 cm | 01/17/2019 | |
| Banook Lake | Birch Cove Beach | 23 cm | 01/17/2019 | |
| Banook Lake | Graham's Cove Beach | 22 cm | 01/17/2019 | |
| Banook Lake | Lion's Club Beach Area | 19 cm | 01/17/2019 | |
| Barrett Lake | Across from 691 Beaver Bank Rd | 25 cm | 01/17/2019 | |
| Belchers Marsh | At Parkland and Red Fern Rd | 23.5 cm | 1/15/2019 | |
| Belchers Pond | At Parkland and Carlina Crt | Open Water | 1/15/2019 | |
| Bell Lake | Abenaki Canoe Club | 27 cm | 01/17/2019 | |
| Bisset Lake | Beach Area at Park entrance off Colby Drive | Open water | 01/08/2019 | |
| Catamaran Pond | At end of Lewis St | 23 cm | 1/15/2019 | |
| Chocolate Lake | Behind Best Western Hotel | 25 cm | 1/15/2019 | |
| Cow Bay Lake | Cow Bay Beach | 15 cm | 01/08/2019 | |
| Cranberry Lake | Corner Main/Wildwood Blvd | 20 cm | 01/17/2019 | |
| Doyle's Pond | Opposite Fancy View Rd (Old Sambro Rd) | 19 cm | 1/15/2019 | |
| Duck Pond | Cole Harbour Commons | Open water | 01/08/2019 | |
| Fairbanks | Fairbanks Interpretation Centre | 25 cm | 01/17/2019 | |
| First Lake | At Kinsmen Centre Beach | 25 cm | 01/17/2019 | |
| Five Island Lake | 151 Granite Cove | 25 cm | 1/15/2019 | |
| Flag Pond | 1775 Cow Bay Rd | 18 cm | 01/08/2019 | |
| Frenchmans Lake | Spectacle Lake Drive | 25cm | 01/17/2019 | |
| Frog Pond | At Purcell's Cove Rd | 23 cm | 1/15/2019 | |
| Governor's Lake | Beechville/Lakeside/Timberlea | 28 cm | 1/15/2019 | |
| Grand Lake | Williamswood at 3100 Old Sambro Rd | Open water | 1/15/2019 | |
| Graves Oakley Pond | Off Leiblin Drive | 23.5 cm | 1/15/2019 | |
| Greys Lake (Pennant Lake) | At West Pennant Rd & Charles Gray Rd | 18.5 cm | 1/15/2019 | |
| Hail Pond | Northwest Arm Dr & Walter Havill Dr | 21.5 cm | 1/15/2019 | |
| Half Mile Lake | 34 Red Maple Drive | 25 cm | 1/15/2019 | |
| Hatchett Lake | End of Lake Rd off Prospect Rd | 22 cm | 1/15/2019 | |
| Henry Lake or Grover Lake | Behind Harrietsfield Recreation Centre, 1150 Old Sambro Rd |
25 cm | 1/15/2019 | |
| Hubley Mill Lake | Across from 94 Hubley Mill Lake Rd | 25 cm | 1/15/2019 | |
| Kearney Lake | At Beach Area | Open water | 1/15/2019 | |
| Keith's Lake | Next to 1018 Cobequid Rd | 27 cm | 01/17/2019 | |
| Kidston Lake | At Beach Area off Feldspar Crest | 26 cm | 1/15/2019 | |
| Kinsac Lake | Across from 779 Fall River Rd | 25 cm | 01/17/2019 | |
| Lake Charles | Shubie Beach | 27 cm | 01/17/2019 | |
| Lake Echo | Community Centre | Open water | 01/08/2019 | |
| Lake Fletcher | Behind Fort Scenic Apartments | 25 cm | 01/17/2019 | |
| Lake Major | By mailbox on German Rd | 22 cm | 01/08/2019 | |
| Long Lake | Lake Major Rd at Second Bridge | Open water | 01/08/2019 | |
| Long Pond | At Beach Area - Herring Cove Rd | 25 cm | 1/15/2019 | |
| Loon Lake | Highway #7 at Legion | Open water | 01/08/2019 | |
| MacDonald Pond | Shore Rd, Eastern Passage | Open water | 01/08/2019 | |
| Maynards | Beach | 25 cm | 01/17/2019 | |
| McCoy's Pond | Across from 51 Church Lake Drive | 22 cm | 01/08/2019 | |
| MicMac | Boat Launch | Open water | 01/17/2019 | |
| Middle Porter's Lake | Across from #149 Bellfountaine Rd | Open water | 01/08/2019 | |
| Miller Lake | 131 Sanctuary Crt | 27 cm | 01/17/2019 | |
| Morash Pond | Woodlawn Rd | 20 cm | 01/17/2019 | |
| Morris Lake | Beach | 20 cm | 01/17/2019 | |
| Morris Pond | At Kinsman Beach | Open water | 01/08/2019 | |
| Nelson Lake | By #2217, Number 7 Highway | Open water | 01/08/2019 | |
| Oathill | Lorne Avenue | 20 cm | 01/17/2019 | |
| Paper Mill Lake | At Moir's Mill | 25 cm | 01/17/2019 | |
| Paper Mill Lake | At Lake Drive, Beach Area | Open water | 01/17/2019 | |
| Penhorn | Beach | 25 cm | 01/17/2019 | |
| Porter's Lake | Open water | 01/08/2019 | ||
| Powder Mill Lake | On Rocky Lake Rd | 27 cm | 01/17/2019 | |
| Punch Bowl | Off Punch Bowl Drive | 20 cm | 01/15/2019 | |
| Red Bridge Pond | Braemar Drive | 20 cm | 01/17/2019 | |
| Roaches Pond | Near parking lot - Herring Cove Rd | 26 cm | 1/15/2019 | |
| Rocky Lake | Caldwell Rd by Shearwater | |||
| Russell Lake | By wharf | 20 cm | 01/17/2019 | |
| Settle Lake | Beach Area | Open water | 01/08/2019 | |
| Sheldrake Lake | At Playground | 29 cm | 1/15/2019 | |
| Springfield Lake | At Beach Area | 27 cm | 01/17/2019 | |
| Tucker Lake | Across from 1331 Beaver Bank Rd | 25 cm | 01/17/2019 | |
| Whimsical Lake | At Beach Area - Mabou Ave | 20.5 cm | 1/15/2019 | |
| Williams Lake | At end of Acorn Rd | 27 cm | 1/15/2019 | |
| Lake William | at Lands and Forest | Open water | 01/17/2019 |