SOUTHWICK – With the winter weather bringing consistent temperatures under 20 degrees, it usually means that people tend to avoid the outdoors. However, for some outdoor enthusiasts, it’s also the perfect time to go on Congamond Lake.
As the thought of ice skating, pond hockey, and ice fishing lure people onto the lake, Southwick officials want to remind people to stay cautious if they choose to go on the lake.
“We rely on people to use common sense and be courteous out there,” said Harbormaster and Southwick Chief of Police David Ricardi.
Since all three ponds on the lake can get crowded with people at any time, Ricardi wants everyone to be aware of each other and their surroundings.
“We expect everybody to be considerate of everybody else,” said Ricardi.
Numerous activities occur on Congamond Lake during the winter including this ice fishing derby that took place in January 2017. (WNG File Photo)
Dick Grannells, Chairman of the Lake Management Committee, also lives on Congamond Lake and knows what the community should watch out for when stepping onto the ice. According to Grannells, being a spring fed lake, the water on the lake is the same temperature year round keeping some areas consistently with thin ice during the winter when other areas have thick ice. For instance, Grannells refers to the South ramp on South Pond that has a lot of current that flows through the two culverts.
“They tend to thin out,” said Grannells. “We’ve had unfortunate events through both culverts.”
Grannells also noted that North Pond is the deepest section of the lake at about 45 ft. deep, while Middle Pond is the next deepest, followed by South Pond being the most shallow.
Although some parts of the lake are deeper than others, Grannells wants to remind individuals that the ice conditions can change from area to area as some spots may have eight to ten inches of ice while others could have two inches of ice.
“That’s the thing people have to understand, it’s not a uniform thickness throughout the ponds,” said Grannells. “Please use caution.”
Another aspect that both Ricardi and Grannells discussed was the use of winter recreation vehicles on the lake, especially snowmobiles. Under the Chapter 75 bylaws for the town of Southwick, section 13 says that winter recreational vehicles and ice boats can be operated from December 1 until March 1 from sunrise to 11 p.m. Then, on section 14, it states, “No person shall operate a winter recreational vehicle or ice boat on the ice having a thickness of less than six inches.”
The bylaw also includes the fact that if anyone violates any of the rules or regulations, they will be fined $50 for each offense.
