Robert Bradley, a hydrologic technician with the USGS New England Water Science Center, Massachusetts Office headed to Maine to experience a winter ice measurement trip with Laura Flight, a hydrologic technician from the USGS New England Water Science Center, Maine Office. Robert, originally from Florida, went to Aroostook County with Laura and got smacked in the face with the full Maine winter experience, including nearly 2 feet of snow and high winds from Winter Storm Vulcan, earlier this year.

Ice measurements are made to measure the discharge (volume/time) of water flowing under the ice. Ice formation in the river channel disrupts the established stage-discharge relation at a streamflow station requiring frequent discharge measurements under the ice to know the flow. Data are used for flood forecasting and as part of a long-term data set maintained by the network of USGS streamflow gages.

The pic of Robert decked out in his winter technician gear was taken at station 01017290, Little Madawaska River near Caribou, Maine on March 13, 2014 (waterdata.usgs.gov/me/nwis/uv/?site_no=01017290&PARAm...)