FEBRUARY 10, 2026 — The Coast Guard is updating its ice-breaking operations in Fairport Harbor, Ohio, on Lake Erie due to the water depths in the Grand River, Feb. 9, 2026.
This update comes as a result of the shoaling and subsequent reduced water depths in the Grand River, which will impact ice-breaking capabilities for the current winter season.
Due to these conditions in the Fairport Harbor Channel and the upriver turning basin, ice- breaking services will be limited, extending only as far as the Morton Salt Dock.
This operational adjustment is a necessary precaution to ensure the safety of Coast Guard personnel and assets.
The Coast Guard, in coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and local partner agencies, conducts annual ice-breaking operations to prevent flooding and clear navigational channels on the Great Lakes.
All ice-breaking transits in Fairport Harbor and the Grand River are contingent upon wind and weather conditions that permit safe operations.
For inquiries regarding operations above Morton Salt Docks, please contact Lake County Emergency Management at 440-350-5499, the City of Fairport Fire Department at 440-352-6822, or the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at 716-879-4160.
For inquiries regarding the Coast Guard’s role in these operations, please contact Lt. j.g. Bridgette Baldwin, Sector Eastern Great Lakes Public Affairs Officer, via email at bridgette.e.baldwin@uscg.mil or via phone at 716-291-1524.
Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Omar Faba
U.S. Coast Guard Great Lakes