A storm that dumped more than 4 inches of rain in some places caused Maine rivers and streams to swell and rage but as of Tuesday night had produced no reports of significant damage.

Though most of Maine was placed under a flood watch Tuesday morning, the National Weather Service in Gray removed the flood watch for nearly all of the state by 5 p.m.

Chris Legro, a meteorologist with the weather service, said the only major river with a threat of flooding late Tuesday or early Wednesday was the Kennebec River.

Legro said the Kennebec was expected to exceed flood stage in Skowhegan, Sidney and Augusta, with the greatest possibility for flooding at low-lying locations such as the waterfront parking lot in downtown Augusta and Front Street in downtown Hallowell. Minor flooding could also occur on the Androscoggin River in Auburn.

“The rainfall from this storm seemed to be focused along the coast,” Legro said.

Falmouth reported the most rainfall at 4.27 inches, according to the weather service. Cumberland had 3.28 inches of rain, Portland’s Deering neighborhood got 3.8 inches, Saco in York County reported 3.46 inches, and Bath in Sagadahoc County received 2.59 inches.

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“All small brooks and streams are outside of their banks, but we’ve had no road closures or any damage reports as of today,” said Dave Francoeur, deputy director of the York County Emergency Management Agency. “They’re flooding, but they’re not causing any problems yet.”

The Presumpscot River in Westbrook was roiling on Tuesday afternoon, measuring just above 12 feet – 3 feet shy of flood stage, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

In Cumberland, where the Royal River meets Chandler Brook, trail heads and paths were under water in Old Meeting House Park, off Route 9, but flooding on Tuttle and Blanchard roads had receded.

In Falmouth, Erin and Nick Mancini have been keeping an eye on the creek that runs through the backyard of their home on Longwoods Road, also Route 9. The water was 4 feet from their deck at 7 a.m. Tuesday, but it had receded to about 10 feet by afternoon. Still, much of their children’s play area remained under water.

“(The creek) typically gets wide whenever it rains, but not like this,” Erin Mancini said. “It’s the worst that we’ve seen it since we moved here a little over two years ago. It’s going to be a big, muddy mess for a while.”

Next door to the Mancinis’ three-acre property, a road crew from the Maine Department of Transportation stopped to check a culvert and graded a neighbor’s driveway that was eroded by recent flooding.

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The only other part of Maine under a flood warning was north of Mattawamkeag in Penobscot County, where the Mattawamkeag River is expected to rise gradually through Thursday to nearly 14 feet. It was just above its 13.5-foot flood stage on Tuesday, the Kennebec Journal reported. Central Washington County was under a flood advisory through 9:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Legro said the weather forecast for the rest of the week – spring vacation for most school districts – doesn’t look all that great.

“We are looking at a pesky upper low system that will hang around for a while,” Legro said.

Legro said most of Maine will see scattered showers and clouds for the rest of the week and into the weekend.

Staff Photographer Whitney Hayward contributed to this story.


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