MAUMEE, OH (Toledo News Now) - Park rangers at Side Cut Metro Park are beginning to monitor the Maumee River for ice dams as the weather gets warmer.
Every year rangers prepare for some flooding at Side Cut Metro Park by removing trash cans and picnic tables and as the temperatures continue to get warmer this Spring, they'll start to monitor the river more closely.
There biggest concern is ice dams. When the ice breaks and starts to pile up across the river is causes the water behind it to back up, which can cause even more flooding.
Rangers say there hasn't been enough of a warm-up yet for ice dams to form, but it is something they're monitoring. They say an even bigger warm-up, and a lot of rain is causing some concern.
"The ice dam can last from several hours, to several weeks, and when it does let go, the properties below the ice dam become vulnerable to that large rush of water," said Joe Fausnaugh, the Chief of Operations for the Toledo Area Metro parks.
Rangers say when ice dams do cause flooding it is usually a gradual process, so there is no immediate concern for people walking through the park.
