Throughout this report, Internet addresses are listed for each category of information. It provides a connection to the ever-changing information critical to monitoring flood potential in the state. At the end of the report, additional sources are provided for further information. River flows throughout the state are generally at or near normal. Over the last week, snowmelt has brought river flows up from the far below normal levels seen so far this spring into a more normal range.
Significant storage is still available to retain additional snowmelt and rainfall.
River ice covers have cleared from long reaches of the major rivers in central and southern Maine rivers, including the Kennebec and Androscoggin. Ice cover on tributary streams has rotted considerably but has not totally cleared. Northern rivers, including the St John and Aroostook and upper reaches of the Piscataquis and Penobscot, still have ice cover. Although the current presence of ice jams does not mean that spring flooding will occur, ice jams, particularly during spring runoff, can produce locally severe flooding. Strong spring sun and rising water temperatures will generally work to erode river ice naturally.