The U.S. and Canadian Coast Guards have assisted over 300 ships this winter, one of the most demanding years for icebreaking.
So far, the Great Lakes ice cover ismore extensivethan it has been in the last two years. A big freeze hit the region right at the end of the shipping season, causing problems for several of the region’s biggest industries.Elizabeth Miller reports.
The U.S. Coast Guard is responsible for making sure ships travel the lakes safely, and Rear Admiral Joanna Nunan says that takes a lot of planning. It works in partnership with Canadian counterparts.
“Our Canadian Coast Guard partners, our U.S. Coast Guard, and our industry partners get to call in,” said Nunan. “This is much more on a daily tactical level in terms of where their ships are going to be, any special circumstances we should know about, and they’re able to hear from us what are the priorities.”
Even with the rough winter – and an ice-breaker sidelined for engine repairs -- Nunan says the U.S. Coast Guard hasn’t asked Canada for help beyond the two Canadian icebreakers already working in the region. She also says waterway availability in the northern region of the Great Lakes stands at 92% -- in the southern part of the region, it's 80%.
The U.S. and Canada recently renewed their partnership.
The U.S. Coast Guard is also helping communities and individuals. So far this winter, it has helped three communities with flooding control.
Problems occur when ice clogs up a river. That obstruction, known as an ice dam or ice plug, can cause flooding as water builds up and overflows the banks.
The most recent community called for help just last week.
“Fairport Harbor, in Ohio, just down the way was experiencing some flooding,” Nunan said. “We sent the Coast Guard Neah Bay – one of our cutters -- here in to basically break up the ice plug and continue to break it up so the water could flow through.”
Now that the shipping season has slowed, the only ships moving are involved in trade within the lakes, and the coast guard continues to assist. In addition, the Guard continues ice rescue and other operations.
Nunan warns individuals – especially those in Northeast Ohio – not to walk onto Lake Erie when it's iced over. Rescuing someone from ice is challenging, and often unsuccessful.
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