Storm Surge in the Penobscot Bay and River: Observations and Lessons Learned

A presentation with Preston Spicer, PhD Candidate, Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Maine

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Storm surges can be a threat to life and property in coastal regions during tropical and mid-latitude storm events. The State of Maine is most prone to storm surges resulting from mid-latitude winter storms, typically called “nor’easters”. When nor’easters track far enough inland, there is often a strong wind directed from the south over coastal Maine which enhances surge in Maine’s many estuaries. We present observations of surge during two of these “windstorms” in one of the states largest estuaries: the Penobscot Bay and River system. We discuss the unique citizen scientist monitored water level network, which was created to capture these observations, as well as some interesting findings from each storm.