Installation of St. Lawrence River Ice Booms Underway – Notice of Work for River Users

CORNWALL – Ontario Power Generation (OPG) is advising water users on the St. Lawrence River that ice booms are currently being installed in narrow stretches of the river. The work began on Monday, November 27, 2023, and will continue through the remainder of the year.

Ice booms are chain and wood devices used to promote the formation of a smooth sheet of ice on the river. The smooth sheet helps to mitigate ice flow and ice jamming during winter months. The booms are placed in the river off Galop Island, in the North Channel, near Johnstown and at Prescott.

The annual installation of ice booms takes place in the same narrow reaches of the St. Lawrence River every fall. They are removed in the spring once the ice has melted, and ahead of the St. Lawrence Seaway shipping season.

All users of the river should take extra caution in the narrow reaches where the boom installation work is being performed.

OPG would also like to remind all users of the river to take every precaution around dams and generating stations. To learn more about water safety, please visit opg.com/watersafety.