Ice jams, particularly during spring runoff, can produce locally severe flooding. These devices trigger when ice movement occurs and place telephone calls to National Weather Service and public safety agencies. This alerts local officials to begin on-site observation of the movement of the ice and to be alert for any sudden changes in water level caused by ice jams. The web cam images are accessible on the Internet at me.water.usgs.gov . The Maine Cooperative Snow Survey conducts surveys at sites across Maine from mid-February until the snowpack is gone from the headwaters of our major rivers.
Cooperators measure snow depth and water content at specific sites.
As of February 28, water content throughout the state was in the normal range across the state except for small pockets in central and western Maine, where levels were above normal. It is expected that the complete survey data on the 15th will show possibly the entire state but certainly the southern half of the state with snow water equivalent levels at or above normal. Contributors to the Maine Cooperative Snow Survey include Federal and State agencies, hydroelectric power and paper companies and Canadian and New Hampshire environmental agencies. A very active weather pattern over the next 10 days may increase water equivalent in the snowpack in many areas of the state. For the remainder of March, below normal temperatures and above normal precipitation are expected.