Coast Guard Completes Ice-Breaking Operations In Southern Great Lakes

Spring is here, at least according to the Coast Guard in the southern Great Lakes.

They ended one of the annual ice breaking operations, Operation Coal Shovel, earlier this week.

But the ice breaking operations continue here in the northern Great Lakes, where it can be tough to tell that winter is over.

Operation Coal Shovel, and Operation Taconite are two of the Coast Guard’s domestic ice breaking operations.

Coal Shovel focuses on the southern lakes, including southern Lake Huron, Lake St. Clair, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario.

U.S. icebreakers work with their Canadian counterparts to break ice in these waterways throughout the winter.

Operation Taconite, the one the operates in the northern lakes, is still active.

Taconite is the larger operation, and is even the largest domestic ice breaking operation in the U.S.

The critical waterways under Taconite include the Straits of Mackinac, Whitefish Bay, and the St Marys River.

Coast Guard assets will also help break ice in Canadian waters such as Georgian Bay or Thunder Bay if requested.

Operation Taconite will remain active until the waters are deemed safe for travel.