Ice is an interesting phenomenon, especially when it pertains to a body of water. Five Island Lake is finally almost completely frozen. For a portion of December, it seemed that it would not thoroughly freeze. Weather conditions finally changed and the ice started to form. The best ice producing days are ones that have clear skies, slight to moderate wind and no snow on the ground. These conditions help pull heat out of the water which accelerates ice growth.
When the air is cold, the coldest water in the lake floats to the top and freezes to form a layer of ice. Frozen ice is less dense so it continues to float on the lake’s surface.
The following is a chart which defines when ice is safe.
· Do not even walk on ice 3” or less in thickness
· 3” of ice – keep off
· 4” is suitable for ice fishing, cross-country skiing and walking
· 5” single snowmobiles and ATVs
· 8-12” a car can be driven on the lake
· 12’15 suitable for a light pickup
If you are near second island, the geese are keeping a channel open for their use. It becomes a team effort on their part to prevent a freeze over. The birds keep going back and forth over the same area to keep the water from freezing. If they have open water, they can feed in nearby fields during the day and rest at night.
People have been talking about the noise that the lake has made this winter. It seems that frozen lakes make the most noise during major temperature changes There were plenty of warmer days even in mid-December for that to happen. Ice expands and contracts during these fluctuations. This causes cracks to form in the ice surface that make interesting sounds. Because of the lakes large mass, the sounds travel over the ice making it seem very loud. Some people refer to that as burping. Others say that the expanding and contracting make the ice sing.
Two upcoming community events will make use of the thick ice that has formed. One is the Yellow Bass Tournament the weekend of January 22 and 23. The other one is Five Island Lake Association’s Fun on the Lake scheduled for Sunday, February 6 from 1 to 3p.m. at the south end of the south bay.
Previous question’s answer: Five Island Lake is a glacier lake. It is estimated that a block of ice one-half mile high melted and the torrent of water filled the kettles that then formed its long-narrow form.
Question: Where is the furthest point that water from Five Island Lake flowed in to the town of Emmetsburg?
Written by Diane Weiland
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