Dexter assessing damage from last week’s flood

By Mike Lange
Staff Writer

    DEXTER — There were no injuries and only a few homes evacuated last week when the east branch of the Sebasticook River overflowed its banks. But town officials are still assessing the damage that took out a small bridge between Millside Fitness and the Grist Mill Museum and washed away part of Lincoln Street.

Observer photo/Mike Lange

    HANGING ON – Only a few beams are supporting part of the Grist Mill Museum in Dexter following last week’s flooding. Flood waters that pushed the east branch of the Sebasticook River over its banks also took out the small bridge between Millside Fitness and the Grist Mill Museum. Millside was able to open for business Friday when inspectors ruled that the building was safe. Some artifacts were removed from the museum by volunteers as a precaution.

    Several businesses were closed last Wednesday when Main Street was flooded for a few hours and the Dexter Fire Department had to pump out the basement of the town office.
    The National Weather Service estimated that the river’s water level was 10.3 feet at its peak or 1.3 feet above flood level.
    Social media played a major part in keeping residents informed as the police and fire departments posted updates on their Facebook pages about street closings and dangerous areas of town.
    Lincoln Street sustained heavy damage as the raging river uprooted the culvert which broke through the pavement, thus blocking the flow of the river.

Observer photos/Mike Lange

    LINCOLN STREET DETOUR — Lincoln Street in Dexter was closed to through traffic last week after a huge section of culvert broke through the pavement on Wednesday, April 16. Emergency crews worked to remove the culverts the following day to allow the stream to flow freely and prevent major flooding (bottom).

    Police Chief Kevin Wintle and Allen Emerson went to the scene and started notifying all the homeowners about the flood danger. “We evacuated some people on St. Francis and Liberty streets and also the mobile home park on Water Street,” said Wintle.  The fire department, public works crew and Mayo Regional Ambulance also responded to the scene.
    Town officials then contacted Chuck Ellms who brought an excavator in and moved the culverts away so the stream flow eventually went back to normal. A large chunk of Lincoln Street is now gone, however, so there’s no through traffic on the normally-busy street.
    Wintle said that there are concerns that the Grist Mill Museum “could be in serious trouble. There are only a few beams holding it up.” The chief advises the public, however, to stay away from the area. “People are curious and want to get under the (yellow caution) tape for a closer look, but they shouldn’t. It’s incredible how fast that current is going,” Wintle said.

Observer photos/Stuart Hedstrom

    HIGH WATER MARKS — Several inches of rain on the evening of Tuesday, April 15 into the next day and snow and ice melt caused the Piscataquis River to rise. The river rose above its banks in Dover-Foxcroft near the Essex Street bridge, bottom, as well as behind the Dover-Foxcroft Redemption Center on South Street.