The U.S. Coast Guard Sector Northern Great Lakes began ice-breaking operations in the Great Lakes on Wednesday for the winter shipping season.
Currently, the U.S. Coast Guard cutter SPAR will manage the ice-breaking needs of Western Lake Superior, specifically Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin.
It's being called Operation Taconite and is the largest domestic icebreaking operation, the Coast Guard said. It encompasses Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, the St. Marys River, the Straits of Mackinac and the Georgian Bay.
Those areas are critical to the shipping industry, and icebreaking operations will expand as ice coverage grows. The Soo Locks close in mid-January for annual winter maintenance before reopening in late March.
According to the Coast Guard, some commercial waterways may close after consideration is given to the protection of the marine environment, the need for cross-channel traffic like ferries, or those wo use naturally-formed ice bridges for transportation.
"The Coast Guard recommends all recreational ice users plan their activities carefully, use caution on the ice and stay clear from shipping channels," the Coast Guard said.
