Expires:200804201600;;876872
FGUS81 KCAR 191532
RVSCAR

MEZ001>006-010-011-015>017-029>032-201600-
HYDROLOGIC STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME
1130 AM EDT SAT APR 19 2008
...ICE MOVEMENT AND RIVER RISES ON NORTHERN MAINE RIVERS...
...RIVER RISES IN CENTRAL AND NORTHERN MAINE DUE TO CONTINUED
   SNOW MELT...
RUN-OFF FROM MELTING SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE THE FLOW ON 
RIVERS ACROSS NORTHERN MAINE THROUGH THE WEEKEND. THIS INCREASED 
FLOW IS CAUSING RIVER ICE TO MOVE...AND JAM...AT TIMES. 
AS OF LATE THIS MORNING...AN ICE JAM ALONG THE ALLAGASH RIVER HAS 
CAUSED THE RIVER TO RISE TO A LEVEL CLOSE TO 23 FEET AT DICKEY.
THIS IS A RAPIDLY DEVELOPING AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION.
RIVER FLOOD WATCHES AND OR WARNINGS WILL BE ISSUED AS NEEDED BY THE 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. STAY TUNED TO THIS AND OTHER PRODUCTS BY 
VISITING OUR WEB SITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/CAR 
ON THE SAINT JOHN RIVER...A SMALL ICE JAM RESTRICTION WAS IN PLACE
AT BAKER BROOK...HOWEVER THE RIVER WAS OPEN FROM BAKER BROOK TO 
GRAND FALLS. AT FORT KENT...AN ICE JAM OF APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE 
LONG WAS IN PLACE ALONG WITH A SMALLER ICE JAM BEING REPORTED IN 
PLACE AT BIG RAPIDS.
THE ICE JAMMING POTENTIAL WILL VARY CONSIDERABLY BY LOCATION...BUT 
WATER BUILD-UP NEAR AND UPSTREAM OF JAMS MAY CAUSE SOME MINOR 
FLOODING PROBLEMS UNTIL THE ICE JAM CLEARS THROUGH. 
FURTHERMORE...WATER LEVELS COULD RAPIDLY RISE DOWNSTREAM OF AN ICE 
JAM IF THERE WERE A SUDDEN RELEASE. 
IN ADDITION SMALL CREEKS...BROOKS AND STREAMS WILL CONTINUE WITH A 
ROBUST WATER FLOW...AS THE MELTING OF THE SNOW CONTINUES.  
 
MEANWHILE IN CENTRAL AND DOWNEAST MAINE...RISES ON THE MAIN STEM 
RIVES ARE LIKELY AS SNOW MELT IN THE HEADWATERS OF EXTREME WESTERN 
MAINE FEED INTO THESE RIVERS. RIVER STAGES WILL INCREASE ON MANY 
RIVERS. ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE ARE THE PISCATAQUIS AND PENOBSCOT 
RIVER BASINS. 
SMALL CREEKS...BROOKS AND STREAMS WILL ALSO LIKELY REMAIN FAIRLY 
ACTIVE...AS WATER IS TRANSPORTED THROUGH THE SYSTEM.
PEOPLE WHO LIVE NEAR WATERWAYS OF ALL TYPES SHOULD CONTINUE TO 
MONITOR WATER LEVELS THROUGH THE WEEKEND. 
REPORT ANY FLOODING TO YOUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY SO THEY CAN 
RELAY THE INFORMATION TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN 
CARIBOU. YOU CAN ALSO REPORT FLOODING VIA OUR AUTOMATED SYSTEM BY 
CALLING 1-877-633-6772.
$$
FITZSIMMONS