The Southern Maine Beach Profile Monitoring Program's success can be credited to more than 150 community and school volunteers who monitor 15 beaches between York and South Portland. Every month, volunteers use a simple surveying technique to measure the contour of their beaches. An online data entry and graphing interface allows volunteers to view changes in their beach due to storms, waves, and currents. The program was established in 1999 with funding provided by Maine Sea Grant to geologists at the University of Maine and Maine Geological Survey.

Why profile beaches?

Sand beaches comprise only about 1% of Maine’s coastline, or less than 35 miles, mostly south of Portland. Rare, undeveloped beach and dune systems show signs of erosion and landward migration driven by sea-level rise. With the exception of a few locations where sand is accumulating because of the influence of jetties, all of Maine’s beaches are eroding.

Maine is one of only five coastal states in the country where the intertidal zone can be privately owned, and as a result beach management decisions are made by individual property owers and municipal officials, as well as state and federal agencies, and are sometimes highly contentious. Through collection and dissemination of reliable data and encouraging collaboration among stakeholders, the beach profiling program has improved the decision-making process. As a testament to the value of program, the majority of the participating cities and towns have committed to continuing long-term monitoring by including program funding in their annual budgets.

How does Maine benefit?

The Maine Geological Survey uses the volunteer-collected data to identify seasonal and long-term trends that inform beach management planning. Results are summarized in biennial State of Maine's Beaches Reports, which are released at the Maine Beaches Conference.

Recent examples of data use include:

• Design of dune restoration and walkover/path improvements (Willard Beach, South Portland)
• Evaluation of replacement seawall options (Higgins Beach, Scarborough)
• Evaluation of beach nourishment efforts and colonization by dune grass (Western Beach, Scarborough)
• Erosion assessment and mitigation technologies (Ferry Beach, Saco)
• Evaluating beach nourishment and harbor dredging (Wells Beach, Wells)
• NRPA permit application to remove cobbles from seawalls (Drakes Island, Wells)
• Dune fence replacement and management for endangered piping plover (Ogunquit Beach, Ogunquit)

Fact Sheet: Tracking Beach Erosion Could Help Management 1MB