SOUTHWICK – The wide range of temperatures that have been occurring lately in the Pioneer Valley has made town officials unsettled about people ice fishing or skating on Congamond Lake.
Just a few days ago, someone reported to the Southwick Police Department that the ice on Middle Pond was thin.
According to Weather.com., the temperature in Southwick on January 21 was 4 degrees and on January 24 the temperature skyrocketed to 53 degrees. After days of 19 degrees and 32 degrees on February 1 and February 2, it was followed up by three consecutive days of 46 degrees, 58 degrees, and 62 degrees.
Although Friday was expected to be 50 degrees, the next four days are forecast to all be under 40 degrees, including 29 degrees on Tuesday.
A view of Congamond Lake at the North Pond boat ramp off of Point Grove Road. (Photo by Greg Fitzpatrick)
The extreme fluctuation of temperatures is a concern for town officials.
“The problem is we haven’t had a continuing cold,” said Lake Management Committee Chairman Dick Grannells.
Grannells pointed out the wet spots that he’s noticed lately on Congamond Lake.
“You see white and then you see gray where it’s saturated,” said Grannells.
Adding that Congamond Lake flows from North to Middle to South Pond, there’s a concern that the ice is thinner than people think.
“People just don’t understand that Congamond (Lake) isn’t like your backyard pond,” said Grannells. “Its got a lot of motion of water with these springs and currents and it’s also very deep.”
Bill Alaimo ice fishes on Congamond Lake just about every weekend and was out on the lake as recently as Thursday afternoon.
“It’s getting to the point where I can go out there with a couple of guys but I’m not going to tell people it’s safe,” said Alaimo.
Out near the North boat ramp on Congamond Lake, Alaimo measured about six inches of ice where you could still see white ice. But, Alaimo said that near South Pond there are a number of dark spots where it might be unsafe.
“The sun hits on that side most of the time and that’s where the water is,” said Alaimo.
Alaimo plans on ice fishing on Congamond Lake this weekend and is hopeful that some of the spots freeze up with colder temperatures expected to arrive at night. Despite that, it won’t cause him to say the ice is safe.
“You really can’t be telling people unless you know for sure,” said Alaimo. “Ice is never 100% safe.”
