When winter temperatures drop, frozen ponds and waterways across Naperville can look harmless, even inviting. But every year, ice-covered retention ponds and rivers pose a serious and often underestimated danger.
With more than 500 retention ponds throughout the city, Naperville residents face a higher risk than many communities when it comes to ice-related emergencies.
Retention ponds are not meant for recreation. Unlike natural lakes, they contain stormwater inlets, outlets, changing water levels, and uneven depths. Water continues to move beneath the surface, preventing ice from freezing evenly. Even during long, cold stretches, ice can be dangerously thin just a few feet from shore. Snow cover can make the problem worse by hiding weak spots and cracks.
Children and pets are especially at risk. Kids may wander onto frozen ponds out of curiosity, while pets often run onto the ice and fall through. Too often, adults attempt to help and end up in the water themselves. Naperville has responded to ice-related incidents in past winters, and these emergencies can escalate quickly.
Ice conditions also change fast. On a sunny afternoon, warmer overnight temperatures, or rainfall, can weaken ice from below, while it still looks solid on top. There is no way to tell how safe ice is just by looking at it, and no ice on local ponds should ever be considered safe.
If someone falls through the ice, do not attempt to walk or crawl onto it. Call 911 immediately and tell the dispatcher it is an ice rescue. If possible, reach from solid ground using a pole, rope, or other object until help arrives.
