In some areas, people are being cautioned to beware of flooding.
By Terry Karkos
Staff Writer

RUMFORD – Heavy rains over the past five days in New Hampshire gave the Androscoggin River from Gilead to Dixfield a new look for August.

“During the summer, the Androscoggin River should be a trickle, but the river’s running well above normal,” said meteorologist Tom Hawley of the National Weather Service in Gray.

Most of the rain – three to five inches – fell in New Hampshire at the Androscoggin’s headwaters, he said.

“That’s the reason for the big rise in the river,” Hawley added.

Erroll, N.H., recorded 1.32 inches Sunday and 1.2 inches Saturday, while Gorham and Berlin, N.H., respectively, received 1.89 inches and 1.90 inches on Saturday.

But the clincher happened Saturday night on Mount Washington.

There, more than four inches of rain fell, sweeping down the mountain’s ravines and into the Androscoggin River through upper watershed tributaries, Hawley said.

As a result of the weather, flood watches were issued Monday morning for Carroll and Grafton counties in New Hampshire. By Monday night, flood watches were in place for northern Maine and southwestern New Hampshire.

N.H. Gov. Craig Benson declared an emergency in seven flood-damaged southwestern towns Monday. The designation qualifies the communities for federal and state aid.

According to the weather service, the days-long deluge caused several rivers across northern Maine and central and southwestern New Hampshire to rise several feet, spawning the watches.

Androscoggin River tributaries like the Sunday River raged over the weekend, depositing heavy layers of sand, silt and cobblestones through the woods as flash-flooding rivers and streams jumped their banks.

Normally dry sandbars and cobblestone islands on the Sunday River were still well submerged Monday afternoon, after the river had receded considerably.

However, new evidence of the Sunday River’s raging torrents – uprooted fully-grown trees, piles of woody debris, newly-carved banks, and deep, swiftly flowing water – were highly visible.

More rain fell Monday throughout the day in a series of showers that forecasters expect to continue through Wednesday, Hawley said.

“There should be a letup by Thursday. That’s when the stalled front should slide to the south of us. Friday looks to be nice,” he added.

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