Some Fort Worth area lakes and ponds are frozen, but stay off the ice
The Trinity River and Eagle Mountain Lake may look cool frozen, but do not go on the ice.
The Tarrant Regional Water District has received several calls about people venturing out on the ice at Eagle Mountain Lake, prompting the district to ask the city of Azle to close a lakeside park, said David Geary, chief of the district’s law enforcement and the reservoir manager.
Though the ice may look thick, it likely is not. Ice must be at least 4 inches thick to support an average adult and 15 inches thick to support vehicles. In most cases it takes at least four days of temperatures consistently below freezing for 4 inches of ice to form, but that can vary, according to the National Weather Service.
The high Wednesday was expected to reach 28 in Dallas-Fort Worth, according the weather service, but temperatures may climb above freezing Thursday. The ice will likely melt from below, where the water temperature has remained warmer, Geary said.
“The thing about it is, it’s not going to be there long,” Geary said. “What you think you’ve walked on yesterday may not be stable today.”
Most of the calls the water district has received are welfare checks from concerned people who saw children on the ice at the lake, he said. In at least one case adults on ATVs were spotted on the lake. So far rescues have not been needed.
In a statement announcing the closure of Shady Grove Park in Azle, the city said ATVs had been spotted on the ice.
“It is very dangerous to venture out on the ice as it is not thick enough to support that kind of weight and a rescue would be very difficult should someone fall in the lake,” the city said.
Pools can also be dangerous.
A backyard camera in Southlake capture an Australian Shepard falling through the ice of an uncovered pool. Owner Dan Holmes had to rescue the dog, Christi, who is doing fine, according to the Dallas Morning News.
This story was originally published February 17, 2021 at 1:51 PM.
