Kennebec River at North Sidney, ME
River level and flood forecast · Kennebec County
The river is 15.0 ft below flood stage (20 ft).
Forecast to rise to 5.9 ft Thu 8 AM, below the 20 ft flood stage.
Flow: 1,670 cubic feet per second (USGS).
The lowest for October 13 in 41 years of records.
Usual for October 13: 3,660 to 7,160 cubic feet per second (the middle half of 41 years).
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Mon, Oct 12, 11:14 AM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.
Get flood alerts for this river
An email when the National Weather Service forecasts Kennebec River at North Sidney to flood, when it floods, and when it's over.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 29 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 25 ft |
| Flood stage | 20 ft |
| Action stage | 17 ft |
| Record crest (April 2, 1987) | 39.31 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 39 ftThe river is nearing or exceeding flood levels seen during the historic 1987 flood. Follow the directions of local officials if you are asked to evacuate.
- 34 ftMany homes and businesses are severely flooded or are totally isolated for an extended duration between Waterville and North Sidney. This is a very dangerous and life threatening situation. Roadways will remain unsafe during and after the storm and driving will be extremely hazardous.
- 31.5 ftExtensive flooding with major damage to roads, bridges and structures from Fairfield to Sidney. Flood levels are comparable with the severe December 2023 flooding. Several main thruways flooded making travel very difficult. Don’t put first responders at risk, follow local officials’ instructions on evacuation and safety precautions.
- 29 ftMajor flooding occurs. Closure of Route 201 is possible near Davis Street in Fairfield and Halifax Street in Winslow. In Fairfield, impacts expand to multiple properties along Upper Main Street, Water Street, and Bunker Island. Follow the directions of local officials if you are asked to evacuate.
- 25 ftModerate flooding occurs. In Fairfield, water surrounds properties and inundates basements of low lying properties off Upper Main Street and Water Street. Impacts expand to buildings on Mill Road and Lithgow Street in Winslow. Impacts along Route 201 in Winslow are possible if concurrent with high flows along the Sebasticook River.
- 22.5 ftIn Fairfield, floodwaters expand from Water Street to Dyer Court cutting off access to properties. Floodwaters reach Lithgow Street in Winslow.
- 20 ftLowest portions of Winslow and Fairfield begin to flood. The most flood prone areas include Lithgow Street in Winslow and Water Street in Fairfield. Residents along the river in low lying areas should prepare for flooding if additional rises occur.
- 17 ftThe river is at bankfull in low lying areas, and high flows could cause some erosion.
Highest crests on record
- 39.31 ft — April 2, 1987
- 32.32 ft — December 19, 2023
- 26.6 ft — June 1, 1984
- 26.4 ft — April 28, 1979
- 25.69 ft — April 26, 1983
Recent crests: 20.62 ft (April 13, 2024) · 17.25 ft (March 8, 2024) · 32.32 ft (December 19, 2023) · 24.9 ft (May 2, 2023) · 21.25 ft (April 16, 2014)
Highest flow on record
232,000 cubic feet per second — April 2, 1987. From the USGS's yearly peaks since 1979.
Up and down the river, and nearby
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (SIDM1); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.