Warnings issued on Sacandaga ice

Though covered in a white coat, the ice on the Great Sacandaga Lake is unsafe, authorities said Friday.

The ice on the lake — the second-largest in the Adirondacks and a magnet for snowmobilers — has varying thickness now across its expanse, and the public needs to use extreme caution around it, statements from Fulton and Saratoga counties said. In the last decade there have been numerous injuries and deaths on the lake.

Fulton County Sherrif Richard Giardino said the lake level is at 757 feet, which is 5 feet above its target elevation for the date. The Hudson River-black River Regulating District, which oversees the lake for flood control, is maximizing the release of water from the lake at an average of 4,000 cubic feet per second — resulting in the level dropping at a rate of 10 to 14 inches a week, the sheriff said.

“The plan is to lower the lake 7 feet in the next seven to eight weeks. This all depends upon how much precipitation and runoff we get during the next two months,” he said. “This dramatic change in level creates variation in ice thickness and strength. As water levels fluctuate, ice pressure ridges, voids, and pockets form on the ice surface.”

In a separate advisory, the state Department of Environmental Conservation offered these fishing safety tips:

Four inches of solid clear ice is usually safe for anglers to walk on.

Ice thickness can vary on waterbodies and even within the same waterbody. Anglers should be cautious of areas of moving water and around boat docks and houses where bubblers may be installed to reduce ice from forming.

Testing the ice can be done with an auger or spud bar at various spots. Fishing with a family member or a friend is also encouraged. Local bait and tackle shops are a resource for finding out where there is safe ice and what anglers are catching.