FORT KENT, Maine — With roughly 150 inches of snowfall in the region this winter, the potential for spring flooding in Aroostook County is higher than normal, according to regional and federal officials keeping an eye on local waterways.
Although the weekend forecast calls for precipitation throughout much of The County, temperatures are not expected to rise above freezing for a significant period of time, so flooding, if it does occur, will most likely happen in mid to late April at the earliest, according to meteorologist Victor Nouhan of the National Weather Service in Caribou.
Henry Gilman of the United States Geological Survey, Augusta office, measures the depth of the ice in the Fish River in Fort Kent on Tuesday, March 19. (Courtesy of Jason Cyr)
“Because of the snowpack and liquid content being above average, flood potential for the spring melt-off later next month is above average,” Nouhan said Wednesday. “We do have some rain forecast Friday and probably changing to snow sometime Friday evening. Perhaps the most significant feature of this system is significant rainfall, but the snowpack is deep and will probably be able to absorb this without too much runoff in the rivers that way.”
He said the snow depth is generally running about 35-40 inches across the north right now with ice thickness on northern rivers, including the St. John River, generally at between 10 and 18 inches.
The flood potential “is well above normal for both ice jam and open water flooding,” according to the NWS, with the greatest threats in the St. John and Aroostook river watersheds where large ice jams are locked in place.
With the potential for spring flooding in mind, there are important steps people can take to prepare and protect themselves, according to Darren Woods, director of the Aroostook County Emergency Management Agency.
It is natural for people to be curious about rising waters, but amateur flood watching can be dangerous when folks get too close to rivers and streams to watch the ice, Woods said.
“People like to do that, but they need to keep a safe distance,” he said. “There’s no safe rescue for somebody that goes into a river that has ice flowing. There’s no way to get that person out, so we need people to stay away from those bodies of water.”
Driving past road barricades, even when water appears low, can be just as dangerous.
“Avoid flooded roads, because you don’t know if it’s gone out underneath,” Woods said.
Residents also should stock up on food, water and medications, for themselves and their pets, if there is a concern they might become housebound due to flooding.
“If someone is prepared for five or six days, they’d be in really good shape,” Woods said. The Federal Emergency Management Agency “tells us to plan for three days, but we’re in The County, so I tell people to plan for a few extra days beyond that.”
Keeping an eye on flood watches and warnings is also important, with the best place to turn for information being local town offices, according to Woods.
The town of Fort Kent was particularly hard hit when the spring thaw in May of 2008 overflowed the St. John and Fish rivers leading to a flood event that caused massive damage to Main Street homes and businesses.
Fort Kent Town Manager Suzie Paradis and department heads are erring on the side of caution as they prepare for potential flooding this spring.
The Fish River in Fort Kent on Tuesday, March 19.
(Joseph Cyr)
“We are trying to be as proactive as we can possibly be for the current circumstances,” Paradis said. “I’m trying to be as proactive as possible without alarming people.”
The town leaders have been meeting regularly with one another and with representatives of county, state and federal agencies such as the Aroostook Emergency Management Agency, the Department of Environmental Protection, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, as well as with state wardens and foresters to discuss plans of action should they become necessary.
The town already is offering up to 15 free sandbags — donated by Katahdin Trust Co. — to each property owner along Main Street. These can be picked up at the Fort Kent Police Department.
Paradis and other town employees also hand delivered a memo to each resident and property owner along East and West Main streets encouraging flood safety precautions and preparedness, including information about how to obtain flood insurance.
“Homeowner’s and/or commercial property insurance does not cover damage due to flooding, including property damage and damage to personal property or contents. Flood insurance is available to cover both. However there is a 15- to 30-day waiting period for most flood policies,” said insurance agent Nikki Shields, owner of the Nikki Shields Agency in Fort Kent.
Shields’ own office is located on East Main Street in Fort Kent, next to the St. Louis Church, an area that received significant damage during the flood of 2008. Although her insurance agency was not located in Fort Kent at that time, Shields offered up some advice for those who have flood insurance.
“In preparing for a flood or any catastrophic event, it’s a good idea to have a list of all personal and/or business property, as well as pictures. Should a flood or catastrophic event occur, it can be very difficult to remember everything you had, therefore documentation and pictures can be a great resource,” Shields said.
Woods summarized that “the biggest thing people need to understand is that Mother Nature is gonna do whatever it wants to do and the only thing we can do is get out of the way. And when the water goes down, do a safe cleanup and put things back the way they were.”
