State of ’s Beaches in 2017

Peter Slovinsky, Maine Geological Survey

Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Image from volunteers State of Maine Beach Profiling Program (SMBPP) • Started in 1999 (MGS, MCP, MSG, MCE)

• Trained volunteers from beach communities

• Uses Emery (1961) method of beach profiling to collect cross- shore data

• Collects monthly “qualitative” datasets, accuracy of typically 1-2 feet or less

• Data is uploaded to the Maine Shore Stewards website where it can be plotted or downloaded

• Used to track nourishment, impacts of storms, seasonal changes Maine Beach Mapping Program (MBMAP)

• Started in 2005

• Real Time Kinematic Global Positioning System (RTK-GPS)

• Accuracy of 1-2 inches

• Annual measurements (sometimes more often) of alongshore features, such as the seaward extent of dominant sand dune vegetation (or wall)

• Complements SMBPP datasets

• Used to track nourishment and dune restoration, monitor erosion, impacts of storms ME’s Monitoring Programs

State of Maine Beach Profiling:

10 beaches in 8 communities

29 different profile sites

Data from 2010-2017 (winter) Data from 2010-2016 (summer)

Maine Beach Mapping:

35 beach sections in 14 communities

Data from 2010 – 2016 (summer)

Factors Influencing the Beaches: Sea Level Rise Factors Influencing the Beaches: Sea Level Rise Factors Influencing the Beaches: Storms

High Waves High Waves High Waves Consistent Waves Lower Waves Lower Waves Low Waves Five of the highest monthly sea levels since 1912 occurred in winter 2010

Higgins Beach, Scarborough, April 7, 2010 P.A. Slovinsky 2017 State of Maine’s Beaches Report The “Scoring” Methodology Due to time, beaches to be reviewed today…

• Wells Beach, Wells (SMBPP/MBMAP) • Laudholm Beach (MBMAP) • Goochs Beach, Kennebunk (SMBPP/MBMAP) • Goose Rocks Beach, Kennebunkport (SMBPP/MBMAP) • Saco Beaches, Saco (SMBPP/MBMAP) • Higgins Beach, Scarborough (SMBPP/MBMAP) • Popham Beach Complex, Phippsburg (MBMAP)

Popham Beach, S.M. Dickson (B-, C+) (D, D)

(C+, C) (C, B-) Good stability to Relatively consistent dune and growth berm erosion Stable (due to bedrock)

Average = C Winter Score = D • Generally no berm • Highest in 2010 • Relatively consistent dune and beach erosion

Summer Score = D • Variable berm, highest in 2015 • Variable nearshore • Dune and berm erosion Somewhat Accretive (B-), +1.2 ft/yr (σ = 1.8)

Slightly Accretive (C+), +0.7 ft/yr (σ = 1.8)

Stable (C), +0.5 ft/yr (σ = 3.8) Slightly Accretive (C+), +0.7 ft/yr (σ = 2.4) Stable to Slightly Erosive (C-) -0.7 ft/yr (σ = 0.6)

Highly Erosive (F+), -3.9 ft/yr (σ = 2.5)

Very Erosive (D-), -2.6 ft/yr (σ = 2.7) (D, D) (C, C) (D, C) Most erosive (C-, C) Most stable Relatively stable; cobble

Average = C- Winter Score = D • Generally no berm • Losing sand at wall • Highest in 2014 • Lowest in 2017

Summer Score = D • No berm • Highest in 2013 • Consistently eroding • Recovering less each summer Slightly Erosive (C-), -0.8 ft/yr (σ = 1.6) (B, B-) (B-, C) (B, B) (C)

High dune growth, variable Stable, dune growth, berm and nearshore variable berms Winter Score = B • Higher than in summer • Variable low-tide terrace • Consistent dune growth Summer Score = B • Variable berm • Variable low-tide terrace • Consistent dune growth West Central East River Batson

Batson River = Extremely Erosive (-18 ft/yr, σ=7.7) West = Very Highly Accretive (+4.8 ft/yr, σ=4.6) Central = Slightly Accretive (+0.8 ft/yr, σ=1.8) East = Very Highly Accretive (+5.2 ft/yr, σ=2.5) Little River = Very Highly Accretive (+4.3 ft/yr, σ=1.9) Average = Accretive (+2.0 ft/yr, σ=6.6) FE01 = (F, C-) KS02 = (B-, C) FE02 = (D+, C) FE03 = (C-, C-) Stability to FE04 = (D, F) dune growth Relatively consistent dune and beach erosion

Average = D+ Average = C+ Winter Score = D • Consistent landward movement of berm and dune • Slight dune growth Summer Score = F • Consistent landward movement of dune and berm Winter Score = B- • Stable to slightly growing dune • Variable but relatively stable berm

Summer Score = C • Relatively stable dune • Relatively stable berm Somewhat Accretive (B-) +1.2 ft/yr (σ = 1.2)

Very Erosive (D-), -2.5ft/yr (σ = 2.0)

Accretive (B), +1.7 ft/yr (σ = 2.4)

Stable to Slightly Erosive (C-), -0.5 ft/yr (σ = 2.8) (B,C+) (C+,C) (D,D)

Average = C Winter Score = D • Massive beach and dune erosion • Highly variable dunes • Erosive trend Summer Score = D • Highly variable • Massive dune erosion • Growing trend after 2012 lows Extremely Erosive (F-), -14.1 ft/yr (σ = 4.6)

Somewhat Erosive (D+) -1.1 ft/yr (σ = 1.0)

Extremely Erosive (F), -10.9 ft/yr (σ = 6.8) Extremely Erosive (F) Erosive (D) -8.6 ft/yr (σ = 4.1) -2.1 ft/yr (σ = 4.9) Extremely Erosive (F), -7.6 ft/yr (σ = 6.6)

Very Highly Accretive (A), +6.4 ft/yr (σ = 5.8) Stable (C) +0.1 ft/yr (σ = 4.4)

Erosive (D), -1.7 ft/yr (σ = 7.9) Overall SMBPP Scores

2 of 10 (20%) scored a B, showing growth since 2010 5 of 10 (50%) scored a C or C+, showing stability since 2010. 2 of 10 (20%) scored a C or C-, showing slight or higher erosion since 2010. 1 of 10 (10%) scored a D, showing high continued erosion since 2010. Overall MBMAP Scores

71 % of beaches were stable to accretive

29% of beaches were slightly erosive to extremely erosive Summary • 71% of monitored beaches were generally stable to accreting from 2010 to 2016. • 29% of monitored beaches were somewhat to extremely erosive from 2010 to 2016. • Decreased sea levels (2014-2016) and less stormy winters (2016, 2017), along with storms hitting at lower tides combined with colder, snowy conditions helped stabilize the beaches. • Some beaches near tidal inlets had some of the highest erosion rates (Batson River at Goose Rocks Beach, Spurwink River at Higgins Beach) and some of the highest accretion rates ( at Riverside Beach). How can the public access this information?

Image from Goochs Beach volunteers Beach Profile Database

HI02 8/01/2014 5/31/2015

http://www.mainecoastdata.org/reports/BeachProfileGraph.aspx Beach Profile Database

http://www.mainecoastdata.org/reports/BeachProfileGraph.aspx The Beaches Report: State of Maine’s Beaches in 2017

Image from East Grand Beach volunteers http://www.maine.gov/dacf/mgs/explore/marine/beaches17/contents.htm Maine Beach Mapping Program: Online Viewer Data from 2005 through 2016 (updated annually in the fall)

http://www.maine.gov/dacf/mgs/hazards/beach_mapping/index.shtml Dry Beach: Coming to a Beach Near you in Fall 2017!

Wide Dry Beach

Narrow Dry Beach Thank you: Volunteers !

With additional financial support from participating coastal communities.