Pond Boss Forums AERATION Systems questions 8 acre pond at 10,000' - lots of aeration ?s

A safe way to approach an open ice hole is to bore holes in the ice as you progress toward the open water. In a well frozen aerated pond that was not spring fed I have found 6" thick ice within 6 ft of aerated open water. General pond ice thickness was 6"-7". Uplifted bottom water cools rapidly as it rises upward and spreads outward in the open hole. Plus with daily aeration during ice cover the water gets well circulated and water rising from the bottom is very close to 34F and not much cooling has to occur for that water to reach 32F.

Once you know the prevailing ice thickness you should be able to find the same ice thickness within 30ft and then 20 ft of the open ice hole. Water temperature should be the same within 50 and 20 ft of the open ice hole.