FARMINGTON — When rain fell in sheets during Monday night’s thunderstorm, culverts and ditches couldn’t keep up with the water, Denis Castonguay, director of Farmington Public Works, said Tuesday.

He estimated 3 inches of rain fell in approximately 40 minutes.

Some roads damaged by the storm two weeks ago felt nature’s fury once again, including Industry Road from Perham Hill to Mosher Hill, Cowen Hill off Route 27 and the Clover Mill Road.

Clover Mill Road was closed Monday night when Temple Stream overflowed, causing washouts. The road remained closed Tuesday as a Farmington crew worked to place rocks around the side of the road, he said.

Temple Stream frequently floods on Clover Mill Road in West Farmington. The flooding was over by midnight, he said.

A crew also worked Tuesday at the top of Cowen Hill near and above the Gooley’s Christmas tree farm, where work was done following the July 15 storm. The plan is to increase the size of the culverts along the hill.

It’s a long, steep road and, at the top of the hill, wood was cut during the past few years, he said. 

Farmington police and members of Farmington Fire and Rescue responded to Route 43 Monday night during the storm. The heavy rain caused washouts along the road. It also required work after the storm two weeks ago.

A Maine Department of Transportation crew worked to fill in washed-out areas Tuesday morning with temporary traffic lights for one-way traffic around the site.

The water washes debris down and it plugs the culverts, Castonguay said.

MDOT paved the road between the two storms, he said.

Farmington crews were also working on erosion around Belcher Road and Anson Street and clearing the ends of driveways that were affected, he said.

Wilton Fire and Rescue personnel were spread thin throughout the storm, responding to downed trees blocking roads, fire Chief Sonny Dunham said.

During a span of approximately an hour, the department responded to five separate incidents.

A large tree blocked Maxwell Road, he said. The department cut up the tree, pushing pieces to the side to allow traffic to get through.

Another tree on Route 156 brought down power lines, closing the road between Wilton and Bean’s Corner for a couple hours while a Central Maine Power crew responded.

A large limb came down on the middle of Main Street and a couple others caused problems at McCrillis Corner, Dunham said.

Water covered the road at the intersection of McCrillis Corner and Franklin Road, he said.

The fifth call brought the department to Routes 2 and 4 in East Wilton across from the bowling alley. The heavy rain caused mud from the steep banking opposite the bowling alley to slide into the road, he said. The mud went into the westbound lane, he said.

abryant@sunjournal.com

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