City crews break up Rideau River ice with explosives

The sound of explosives shook the air just above the Rideau River falls by the Ottawa River on Sunday.
The annual ice blasting helps to prevent an ice dam from restricting the flow of water which increases as milder weather creates extra run-off into the Rideau River.
It’s ice blasting time on the Rideau River near the Rideau Falls, which is where city workers were busy on Sunday. Ashley Fraser/Postmedia
Ashley Fraser was on the scene to record the operation, which clears the way for water