Lack of ice on Great Lakes and rivers is helpful to shipping but may have environmental impacts

A mild winter has meant not very much ice has formed on the Great Lakes and Lake St. Clair. 

"This year is an extraordinary year," said Steve Salmons, president and CEO of the Windsor Port Authority.

Salmons says the lack of ice means ships have easier time of navigating but it doesn't mean a higher volume of goods moves because most ships are taken out of service for winter maintenance and the locks close seasonally anyway.

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But he says the lack of ice means salt from Windsor's salt mines is being delivered more easily, and the truck ferry, which traverses the river, is not being impeded.

"Right now we've been shuffling the large concrete cast components between Detroit, Windsor for the new Gordie Howe bridge. And we can't stop that. We can't wait for March for these components to resume," said Salmons.

But the lack of ice cover also means there is more open water, and if the winds whip up, the water can do more damage to the shoreline.

"Lake ice cover actually helps protect properties. The ice cover in itself holds down wave activity, especially in winter storm events," said Tim Byrne, CAO and secretary treasurer of the Essex Region Conservation Authority.

The ice cover also protects fish eggs over the winter. The director of the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research (GLIER) said they are learning more about plankton populations in the Great Lakes thanks to water samples being taken by the crew of the Coast Guard icebreaker Samuel Risley.

"Large expanses of snow-free ice in the lake allows sunlight to penetrate and those provide conditions conducive to plankton growth," said Mike McKay, the executive director of GLIER.

The Coast Guard ship collects samples for GLIER during the winter because of its ice-breaking capabilities.

McKay said the crew of the Samuel Risley has more time to collect the water samples when they aren't so busy breaking ice for shipping. 

Commanding officer Stacey Trombley said they also have time to do other things.

"When we're not required for ice-breaking assistance, we're usually doing crew training and vessel maintenance," said Trombley.

The Risley also performs some rescue and recovery operations and buoy tending when not busy breaking ice.