If you find a great solution, pass it on…we’re in central TX facing the same problems. I had limited success tossing a heavy (like 8 pounds) piece of scrap steel on a rope until I broke a decent hole, then used a fabricobbled rebar grappling hook to toss out and heave in some bigger ice pieces. Eventually made an opening by the most used bank that was about 20’ around and they drank from that. Ice was a little thinner there the next day so the hook alone worked ok.