Ice jam causes flooding in Ausable Forks, New York, as snowmelt accelerates across the Adirondacks

Ice breakup driven by mild temperatures and snowmelt led to the formation of an ice jam on the Ausable River in Ausable Forks, where the East and West branches of the river meet. The accumulation of broken ice temporarily blocked the river channel, causing water levels to rise upstream and flood several low-lying sections of the hamlet.

Officials in the Town of Jay declared a local state of emergency beginning at 10:30 LT on March 8. The declaration remains in effect for five days unless terminated earlier and allows municipal officials and emergency services to mobilize equipment and resources quickly if conditions worsen.

Floodwaters reached several low-lying areas of the hamlet, including a parking lot near a grocery store and nearby residential zones known locally as the Jersey area and the Intervale. Local officials said flooding remained limited to these areas and no confirmed reports indicated water entering homes or causing structural damage.

The ice jam formed at the confluence of the East Branch and West Branch of the Ausable River, a location where ice accumulation is common during spring breakup. Ice moving downstream slowed as it reached the junction of the two channels, allowing large fragments to pile up and obstruct the flow of water.

As the obstruction restricted river flow, water backed up upstream of the jam. The pressure from the rising water eventually forced the ice mass to break apart and move downstream, quickly relieving the flooding in the hamlet.

Clinton County Emergency Management officials monitoring the river said the large jam that formed in the hamlet cleared quickly once the channel opened and the accumulated ice flushed downstream.

The National Weather Service (NWS) warned that the threat of ice-jam flooding would persist as warming temperatures continue to melt snow across the region. In an Area Forecast Discussion issued at 04:17 LT on March 11, the NWS said snowmelt runoff flowing into rivers could maintain elevated flows and allow additional ice movement or new jams to form.

The NWS also issued a Flood Watch through Thursday afternoon for much of northern New York and Vermont. The forecast discussion noted that a storm system moving through the region could bring approximately 6–25 mm (0.25–1 inch) of rainfall, which would add to runoff and increase the risk of open water flooding.

NWS Burlington Senior Hydrologist John Goff said several rivers across northern New York remain susceptible to ice jams during the spring thaw. Rivers being monitored include the St. Regis, Salmon, and Raquette rivers, as well as the river bend below the falls in Plattsburgh, where ice can accumulate during breakup.

In Vermont, the Winooski, Lamoille, and Passumpsic rivers remain vulnerable to ice-jam formation. An active ice jam is already present on the Missisquoi River near Enosburgh Falls, according to the NWS.

Ice jams occur when broken river ice moving downstream during seasonal thaw becomes trapped at natural constrictions such as bends, bridge supports, or shallow sections of the channel. When ice blocks the river, water can rise rapidly upstream of the obstruction and flood nearby low-lying areas.

Hydrologists say ice-jam flooding can range from minor flooding of fields and parking areas to more serious flooding affecting homes and infrastructure. River ice during breakup is unstable, and authorities warn that ice jams can shift suddenly as water pressure builds behind them.

River conditions across the Adirondacks and northern New England continue to be monitored as seasonal thaw conditions persist across the region.

References:

¹ Area Forecast Discussion – NWS – March 11, 2026

Reet Kaur

I’m a science journalist and researcher at The Watchers, contributing to the Epicenter edition, where I cover peer-reviewed scientific research and emerging discoveries across Earth and space sciences. With a background in astronomy and a passion for environmental science, I’ve worked in shark and coral conservation in Fiji, conducting reef and shark-behavior research, contributing to mangrove restoration, and earning PADI Open Water and Coral Reef Certifications. I bring a blend of scientific rigor and storytelling to illuminate the discoveries shaping our planet and beyond.

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