Latest rainfall could trigger more flooding

As the region prepares for another round of spring rainstorms, state emergency management officials are keeping a close eye on many small rivers and streams that already are at high levels.

As much as 3 inches of rain could fall in parts of Maine over the next few days, and the National Weather Service has issued statewide flood watches effective through Saturday morning.

“The storm system that’s coming in is tapping into moisture off the Gulf of Maine and could bring quite a bit of rainfall into the region,” Mark Turner, a hydrologist at NOAA’s National Weather Service office in Caribou, said Wednesday.

Parts of the state that already have experienced flooding this spring are likely targets again this time around, Maine Emergency Management Agency officials fear.

“We’re going to start doing extended operations, probably starting at 5 a.m. [Friday],” MEMA official Darla Chafin in Augusta said. “We’ll just kind of see how things are going, but we think the event will at least impact some of the same areas as the first of the month.”

The flood watch has been upgraded to a flood warning in concentrated areas around small rivers and streams, including all of Piscataquis County, which Turner called a “terrain-enhanced” area.

Piscataquis County Emergency Management Agency Director Thomas Iverson Jr. could not be reached Wednesday for comment, but MEMA’s Lynette Miller in Augusta said the Piscataquis River is being watched particularly closely.

“It’s really a matter of being ready to react on the local level,” Miller said.

Rain started falling Wednesday across the state and is expected to be heaviest today before tapering off by Friday morning. Anywhere from 1.5 to 3 inches are expected, and while Friday could be dry, more rain is expected for the weekend.

Turner warned that problems don’t necessarily subside with the rain.

“The rivers will still rise after the rain stops, so people need to be cautious,” he said. “It’s not the time to be trying out that new inflatable raft.”

The Maine River Flow Advisory Commission met Wednesday via conference call to discuss current conditions and the latest forecasts. The governor was briefed as well.

“We urge everyone who lives or works in a flood-prone area to stay alert,” Bob Lent, U.S. Geological Survey district chief, said. “It’s absolutely critical that everyone stay tuned to weather forecasts and pay attention to local warning.”

Many agencies are on alert status, but some say they have only so much control.

“Mother Nature does some strange things, so it’s hard to prepare for an exact amount,” Penobscot County Emergency Management Agency Director Tom Robertston said. “Everyone is kind of on a heads-up status … I’m not averse to being called in the middle of the night.”

“The water is coming; there is no stopping it … now is a good time to get grandma’s hope chest out of the cellar,” Turner said.

“We’re pretty much limited,” Randy Gray, Maine Department of Transportation regional director in Bangor, said. “We’ll respond in emergencies, but until water starts going down, there is very little we can do but control traffic and assess each situation.”