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The Town of Carleton Place is reminding residents not to skate, toboggan, or walk on frozen stormwater management ponds, warning that the ice can be unsafe regardless of outdoor temperatures or surface appearance.
Town officials say conditions on these ponds can change rapidly and without warning. Stormwater ponds are designed to treat runoff before it is released into nearby streams and often contain multiple inlets and outlets that create water movement beneath the ice, thinning it from below.
Water levels beneath the ice can also fluctuate, leaving dangerous gaps between the ice surface and the water below. The town says these unpredictable conditions pose serious risks to children, adults, and pets.
Residents are also reminded that adding municipal water to stormwater ponds is prohibited, as chlorinated water can harm aquatic habitat.
