WEST FARGO (KFGO) – West Fargo officials are reminding people to stay off iced-over bodies of water in the city.
Fire Chief Dan Fuller said retention ponds and the Sheyenne River have started to ice over and it is creating possible dangers for residents.
“There is no such thing as safe ice,” Fuller said. “The best way to stay safe is to stay off iced-over bodies of water.”
The City said ice-over areas can look frozen solid, but there is no guarantee the ice will be thick enough to walk or drive on.
“Retention ponds and the Sheyenne River should never be walked on or used for recreation once iced over,” Police Chief Pete Nielsen said. “Parents and guardians are reminded to discuss the dangers of these bodies of water with their children.”
Retention ponds are meant to hold water from the river and when the levels on the river fluctuate, so do the levels of the retention ponds that hold that water. So, whether it is the Sheyenne River or the city’s holding ponds, when those levels do drop, there can be feet of distance between the ice and the water. That can cause the ice to break when it gets weight on it.
Community Risk Reduction Officer Travis Olson said the city has plenty of recreational areas like ice rinks that are safe for everyone.
