Rare as it is to see Donner Lake frozen solid, if you haven’t ventured out
on the ice so far this season, it’s too late to do so now. Truckee police
say it’s not safe.
Here’s what they had to say in a press release sent out on Tuesday:
Recently, the Truckee Police Department and the Truckee Fire Protection
District have noticed the popularity of ice-skating on Donner Lake. This is
worrisome, because while conditions in the past month have been extremely
cold, the current conditions have warmed considerably and the ice is
generally unstable. Unlike the Eastern United States, we generally do not
have the consistently cold temperatures to sustain ice on area lakes and
ponds due to their size and water currents. The conditions present today on
Donner Lake are similar to conditions 5 years ago when a skater fell through
the ice and drowned: Ice that was generally believed strong and safe was
actually thin and weak.
There is no law or ordinance prohibiting ice-skating on a body of water.
This is simply a matter of an individual choice and risk.
The fundamental question asked of Town authorities is: ‘Is the ice safe?’
Unfortunately, there is no sure answer. The strength of the ice cannot be
determined solely by its appearance, age, thickness, temperature, etc. Ice
strength is based on a combination of all these factors, with the addition
of other variables such as water depth, water body size, water chemistry,
currents, local climate, and the actual load per square inch on the ice.
“Ice skating on a lake is an unusual thing to do, and it can be a lot of
fun. But for us, the conditions on our local lakes, especially Donner Lake,
is just plain dangerous– the ice is not stable,” said Truckee Police
Department Dive Team Supervisor Sergeant Jason Litchie. “We agree,” said
Truckee Fire Protection District Captain Paul Spencer. “We have had numerous
ice related incidents and fatalities at our area lakes over the years, and
we have areas of open water not far off shore. Yearly statistics show
upwards of 235 people die from falling through ice. Please be aware of your
surroundings and how many people are with you on the ice.
