Front Street Flooding In Augusta

Augusta Police say flooding from the Kennebec River has forced them to close Front Street.

Sergeant Christian Behr says the flooding is expected to continue through Monday. The river floods when it reaches 12 feet high, and the water is currently about 16 feet high. Flood waters have entered buildings on the north end of Front Street. That parking lot will stay closed until Public Works can clean it up, once the flood waters recede.

The flooding is made even more dangerous because there's ice in the water. Residents are encouraged to use caution until they recede. Police say there's an ice jam south of Augusta in the Farmingdale area that's affecting the level of the Kennebec River back towards Augusta. Ice jams cause waters to rise quickly and unexpectedly, causing hazardous conditions.

Residents are reminded that it's never safe to drive through a flooded roadway, since you can't see what's beneath the water, like possible washouts. In addition, the moving water can be very dangerous.