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Prosaïque: cutting the keys, detonating the ice


Cutting the keys and breaking up the ice on the Rideau River and just below the Rideau Falls on the Ottawa River is done to prevent flooding along the Rideau River. The process involves cuting long lines, or keys, in the ice. This process usually begins in early spring. When the keys are cut a large circular saw, like one used in carpentry, is brought onto the ice. The saw is roughly the height of a person. The keys are detonated between the Sussex Drive Bridge and the Minto Bridges. An amphibious machine is used to further crush and break the ice further upstream and below the falls. This is a sort of boat that is designed to also crawl along the ice. Once the flow of the river is such that it can carry the broken ice into the Ottawa River without any blockages the process is complete. This process of breaking the ice is conducted by the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority in partnership with the City of Ottawa. This process was at one time reactionary, to prevent further floods, today it is preventative.



 
 
 

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