Inching Back

By JOHN RICHARDSON, Portland Press Herald Writer

Copyright © 2006 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.

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	Associated Press Photo by Pat Wellenbach Nicole Lewis gathers trash Tuesday on a flooded street in York Village. Weather forecasts promise some relief. "I think we may be turning the corner," said York County Emergency Management Director Robert Bohlmann. '
	FLOOD WATCH Heavy rains wreaked havoc in southern Maine, damaging property and forcing people from their homes. Get coverage and share your photos and stories here. To top of story

Floodwaters receded Tuesday in York County as residents and officials began to assess what's expected to be millions of dollars in damage to roads, bridges and homes.

Drenching rain that washed out bridges and flooded neighborhoods on Sunday and Monday gave way to periodic showers on Tuesday. With on-and-off rain expected through the weekend, floodwaters are likely to subside slowly.

"I think we may be turning the corner. We're gaining a little bit," said Robert Bohlmann, York County emergency management director.

Evacuated families returned to their homes in Lebanon on Tuesday afternoon after water levels behind the Spaulding Dam dropped 11 inches. On Monday, the Salmon Falls River rose to within 4 inches of overflowing the dam.

About 50 evacuated families from Berwick were still waiting Tuesday evening for the swollen river to subside enough for them to go home. The Route 9 bridge remained closed there Tuesday, and 20 members of the Maine Army National Guard stood by in case of an emergency.

Seven other bridges and more than 50 roads also were still closed across the county, according to state and county officials. Schools in several towns remained closed as well.

The storm had dropped more than 14 inches of rain on Cape Neddick as of Tuesday, the highest total in Maine, according to the National Weather Service. Kittery got 9.5 inches, Sanford 9.1 inches and Portland 7.1 inches.

Although no flood damage was reported in Cumberland County, Portland broke its record Tuesday for rainfall in May with 11.09 inches. The record for Portland's wettest month ever was set in October 1996, when there was 16.9 inches. This month now stands at No. 10 with two weeks to go.

With the worst appearing to have passed, attention shifted Tuesday to measuring the damage and securing federal aid. "We're beginning to put in place the recovery phase," said Charles Jacobs, assistant director of the Maine Emergency Management Agency.

Gov. John Baldacci flew over the flood zones Tuesday with officials from the Department of Transportation and Coast Guard. And representatives of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Small Business Administration met with state and local officials to discuss damage assessments and recovery aid.

Damage totals won't be known until after the water subsides. Damage to state-owned roads and bridges totals about $3 million, well above the $1.4 million threshold that triggers federal disaster aid for public properties, said Bruce Fitzgerald, spokesman for MEMA. Officials also expect disaster aid will cover some losses experienced by homes and businesses.

In New Hampshire, Pamela Walsh, Gov. John Lynch's press secretary, said preliminary estimates peg damage to state roads at $1.9 million. No estimate has been done on damages to local roads because many are still covered with water, she said.

New Hampshire emergency management spokesman Jim Van Dongen said 553 National Guard members are helping direct traffic and organize evacuations in a dozen New Hampshire communities.

In Maine, federal and state officials are working together to get help, especially for tourist-dependent businesses hit hard as they prepared for Memorial Day weekend, said Bohlmann of the York County Emergency Management Agency.

"Part of the problem is we can't get in to assess the damage because we've still got water and can't see what's damaged," he said. "We're going to make sure we can do it as quick as we can."

Adam Gould spent part of Tuesday sorting through wet inventory at his family's gift store in York Beach. He said he expected to reopen The Lazy Lobster before the traditional kickoff to tourist season, but it was too early to tell how much was lost.

"Once we start getting things dried out we'll see what's ruined and what's not," he said.

No injuries or deaths had been reported in Maine because of flooding.

State officials warned residents to beware of drinking water wells that may be contaminated by floodwaters. Residents who suspect contamination should boil the water for five minutes or avoid using it until the well is disinfected.

For more information, call the Maine Drinking Water Program at (207) 287-2070 during business hours or (207) 557-4214 for after-hour emergencies.

Stephen McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety, also warned people to stay out of floodwaters and off roads that are flooded and remain potentially dangerous. "This is not recreation. This is a very serious situation," he said.

As if to underscore the point, four people who had been paddling two canoes were dumped into the rushing Mousam River at about 4 p.m. Tuesday. The occupants were soaked but unharmed, fire officials said.

Elsewhere, sewage continued to enter southern Maine rivers and bays Tuesday because of flooded storm drains and sewers.

The Kennebunk Sewer District was operating but unable to fully treat all of the sewage and stormwater flowing into the plant, said Willis Emmons, the district manager.

The same was true in Portland, where the Portland Water District has been discharging partially treated sewage on and off since Friday because of excessive stormwater flows, said Michelle Clements, a district spokeswoman. The district also reported sewage overflows at Little Falls in Gorham and in Cape Elizabeth, where a rock flushed into the system shut down a pump station at Ottawa Road.

"(The storm) is creating a lot of work for our wastewater crew," Clements said.

Weather forecasts for southern Maine promise some relief, but little hope that the ground will dry up quickly.

"It's going to get a little better," said James Brown, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Gray.

Showers and thundershowers are expected through the weekend, but skies also will brighten at times.

Ronald Carignan, a Berwick resident since 1960 who spent two days pumping out his basement, stood next to the Salmon Falls River on Tuesday afternoon and said he'd never seen it so high. Then he noticed the sun briefly peek out between the clouds.

"The sky is clearing over there," he said.

- Staff writers Seth Harkness and Elbert Aull and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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