Differences between sloughs and main river channel

While standing on the opposite side of the river from Hot Slough, Sam Demientieff notes differences between sloughs and the main channel of the river in terms of open water, freeze-up, and ice conditions. Freeze-up occurs at high water, during the winter the water drops, then the ice falls down. In early fall, the main river is still running, but the side sloughs are shallower so freeze. The ice in the sloughs is smooth.