848  
NOUS41 KCAR 191332  
PNSCAR  
MEZ001>006-010-011-015>017-029>032-200145-  
 
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME  
932 AM EDT FRI APR 19 2024  
 
TO: SUBSCRIBERS:  
-FAMILY OF SERVICES  
-NOAA WEATHER WIRE SERVICE  
-EMERGENCY MANAGERS WEATHER INFORMATION NETWORK  
-OTHER NWS PARTNERS, USERS, AND NWS EMPLOYEES  
 
FROM: PATRICK MALOIT  
METEOROLOGIST IN CHARGE  
WEATHER FORECAST OFFICE CARIBOU, ME  
 
SUBJECT: CHANGES IN RIVER FORECAST SERVICES  
 
EFFECTIVE AT 1200 COORDINATED UNIVERSAL TIME ON TUESDAY MAY 21,  
2024, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL BE ADJUSTING RIVER FLOOD  
STAGES FOR THE PENOBSCOT RIVER AT WEST ENFIELD, MAINE (WENM1) AND  
GRINDSTONE, MAINE(GRNM1). AT GRINDSTONE, ON THE EAST BRANCH OF THE  
PENOBSCOT RIVER, IN 2023, THE GAGE WAS MOVED UPSTREAM A FEW  
HUNDRED YARDS WITH THE SAME ZERO DATUM WHICH RESULTED IN THE GAGE  
BEING LOCATED IN A DIFFERENT SLOPE OF THE RIVER BED. IN  
COORDINATION WITH LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGERS, AFTER REVIEW OF THE  
EXISTING INFORMATION FOR THIS GAGE, ALONG WITH AN EXTENSIVE REVIEW  
OF THE DECEMBER 2023 FLOOD, THE FLOOD STAGES HAVE BEEN RE-  
EVALUATED AT GRINDSTONE TO REFLECT THE NEW GAGE LOCATION. THE NWS  
LOCATION IDENTIFIER FOR GRINDSTONE IS GRNM1.  
 
THE NEW FLOOD CATEGORIES WILL BE AS FOLLOWS:  
 
1. NEW FLOOD STAGE IS 14 FEET ABOVE GAGE ZERO. THE PREVIOUS FLOOD  
STAGE WAS 13 FEET ABOVE GAGE ZERO.  
 
2. NEW MODERATE FLOOD STAGE IS 16 FEET ABOVE GAGE ZERO. THE  
PREVIOUS FLOOD STAGE WAS 15 FEET ABOVE GAGE ZERO.  
 
3. NEW MAJOR FLOOD STAGE IS 17 FEET ABOVE GAGE ZERO. THE PREVIOUS  
FLOOD STAGE WAS 16 FEET ABOVE GAGE ZERO.  
 
THESE NEW FLOOD STAGES WILL BE REFERENCED IN FLOOD WARNINGS, FLOOD  
STATEMENTS, AND FLOOD ADVISORIES FOR THE EAST BRANCH OF THE  
PENOBSCOT RIVER.  
 
IN WEST ENFIELD, IN COORDINATION WITH LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGERS,  
REVIEW OF THE CURRENT FLOOD STAGES, ALONG WITH INFORMATION FROM  
THE DECEMBER 2023 FLOOD EVENT, FLOOD INUNDATION MAPPING AND  
HISTORIC FLOOD ACCOUNTS, HAS RESULTED IN AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE  
FLOOD STAGES. THE NEW FLOOD STAGES WILL BETTER REFLECT CURRENT  
FLOOD IMPACTS. THE NWS LOCATION IDENTIFIER FOR WEST ENFIELD IS  
WENM1.  
 
THE NEW FLOOD CATEGORIES WILL BE AS FOLLOWS:  
 
4. NEW FLOOD STAGE IS 17 FEET ABOVE GAGE ZERO. THE PREVIOUS FLOOD STAGE  
WAS 18 FEET ABOVE GAGE ZERO.  
 
5. NEW MODERATE FLOOD STAGE IS 20 FEET ABOVE GAGE ZERO. THE  
PREVIOUS FLOOD STAGE WAS 22 FEET ABOVE GAGE ZERO.  
 
6. NEW MAJOR FLOOD STAGE IS 24 FEET ABOVE GAGE ZERO. THE PREVIOUS  
FLOOD STAGE WAS 25 FEET ABOVE GAGE ZERO. THESE NEW FLOOD STAGES  
WILL BE REFERENCED IN FLOOD WARNINGS, FLOOD STATEMENTS, AND FLOOD  
ADVISORIES FOR THE PENOBSCOT RIVER.  
 
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:  
 
JAMES SINKO  
HYDROLOGY PROGRAM MANAGER  
NWS WEATHER FORECAST OFFICE  
CARIBOU, ME 04736  
(207) 492-0180  
JAMES.SINKO@NOAA.GOV  
 
LOUISE FODE  
WARNING COORDINATION METEOROLOGIST  
NWS WEATHER FORECAST OFFICE  
CARIBOU, ME 04736  
(207) 492-0180, X223  
LOUISE.FODE@NOAA.GOV  
 

 
 
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