The U.S. Coast Guard is urging the public to remove ice fishing shacks and to stay off the Kennebec River as ice breaking operations on the river are planned to begin today and last through the week.

The Kennebec River Spring Breakout occurs annually but usually months later — in late March or early April.

Based on the recent ice jam-flooding along the river, the Maine Emergency Management Agency and local emergency managers requested that the Coast Guard attempt a mid-winter breakout.

The Coast Guard is sending four vessels to the Kennebec

River: Bridle, Shackle and Tackle — 65-foot ice-breaking harbor tugs — are relocating to the Kennebec River in preparation for the breakout. The Coast Guard is also repositioning the vessel Penobscot Bay from New York to help with the effort.

The Penobscot Bay is a 140-foot ice-breaking tug, equipped with a forced air bubbler system, capable of breaking 27 inches of ice with one foot of snow cover.

“The unknown ice conditions on the Kennebec River will definitely require a coordinated effort from our icebreakers,” said Capt. Michael Baroody, commander of Coast Guard Sector Northern New England. “We expect our smaller cutters to reach the river before the Penobscot Bay, and they should be able to start breaking ice and give us a good indication of how thick the ice is.”

Due to the water depth in the northern parts of the river, the Coast Guard plans to use the Penobscot Bay up to the Maine Kennebec Bridge, between Richmond and Dresden. The Bridle, Shackle and Tackle can safely operate in shallower waters and will work farther up the river, possibly all the way to Gardiner, if ice conditions permit.

Coast Guard vessels will not be able to reach the existing ice jam on the Kennebec River, but aim to open up water down river to improve the river flow. Operations will be visible from the shoreline and bridges that span the Kennebec River.

With rainfall expected south of the mountains today, the U.S. National Weather Service is calling for possible flooding today into Wednesday. The rain will add flow to area rivers that remain affected by ice, some with ice jams still present.

A flood watch remains in effect from this morning through late tonight, and includes Androscoggin, Lincoln, Kennebec, Sagadahoc and coastal Cumberland counties.

4 vessels

• THE COAST GUARD is sending four vessels to the Kennebec River: Bridle, Shackle and Tackle — 65-foot ice-breaking harbor tugs — are relocating to the Kennebec River in preparation for the breakout. The Coast Guard is also repositioning the vessel Penobscot Bay from New York to help with the effort.