"The unusually moderate winter that most of Minnesota has experienced this year has caused the fourth earliest "ice out" on Clear Lake since people first started keeping records in 1874.
The definition of "Ice out" can vary, said Duane Rathmann, president of the Waseca Lakes Association (WLA). Rathmann said the definition they use is when approximately 85 to 90 percent of the ice has melted off the lake or when a boat can easily navigate from the north shore to the south shore.
"Sometimes we debate between a day or two, but this year it was March 13, no question," Rathmann said.
According to Rathmann, about 12 years ago, members of the WLA found an old paper that had ice out dates on it from "way back." They started asking around and they found more and more records.
"
