The tail end of this winter season has been nothing if not harsh for many houseboaters on the east side of the nation. With wild storms dumping snow at such incredible rates, a lot of marinas were hard-hit by the weight of it. But now that the thaw is starting to creep closer in some states, KWWL News reports that houseboaters like Jeff McLaud on Cedar River, Iowa, have good reason to be on their guard once more.

With the thawing of the river causing the ice to break up, there’s a risk of ice jams forming. Two years ago, this resulted in several flooded streets in Cedar Rapids.

McLaud explains why this is bad news for houseboaters when he said to KWWL, "It can cause broken cables, bent poles, stuff like that."

Currently, residents can see cracks beginning to web across the river and thinning spots on the ice, so the city is making preparations for potential ice jams—which can be tricky to see coming.

"We have to make sure that everything is ready to go and ready for a quick rise and a quick thaw," McLaud explained.

City officials are monitoring the river’s levels and feel they are ready to meet whatever comes their way. They expect to see ice breakage towards the end of this week.

Photo and video credited to KWWL.