State of Maine's Beaches in 2007

Kinney Shores, Saco

Background geology and characteristics

The beaches of Kinney Shores are part of a north-south trending barrier spit that constitutes the northern end of the southern barrier complex in Saco Bay, terminating at Goosefare Brook. The shoreline along this stretch is considered to be somewhat stable to slightly erosive. Areas of shoreline stability may relate to nearshore outcrops that develop salients and help dissipate wave energy (Slovinsky and Dickson, 2003). Field research and inspection of aerial photographs have located relict sand spits in the Goosefare Brook marsh system (Farrell, 1972; van Heteren and others, 1996). These features represent past shoreline positions and a seaward progradation of the shoreline. Historical aerial photos indicate that Goosefare Brook was unstable, and at one point its main channel was located farther to the south.

Kinney Shores has 2 measured beach profiles, KS1 and KS2. KS1 is located within the dune just south of the southern terminus of Oceanside Drive. KS2 is located in Bayview, at the top of a seawall east of Shore Avenue (Figure 57). The starting points were surveyed by MGS in June 2006.

Annual and seasonal beach profile changes

Beach profiles at Kinney Shores start within a seawall (KS1) and behind the frontal dune crest (KS2). Kinney Shores beach profile data include the years from 1999 to 2007. Annualized mean profile data for KS1 (Figure 58) indicate that the beach underwent berm accretion from 1999 to 2005, with the fullest berm in 2005, then erosion from 2005-2007, though there was slightly more sediment on the upper portion of the profile (between 2.5 and 4 m in elevation) in 2006. Seasonal data at KS1 (Figure 59) indicate a slightly more voluminous berm for the summer mean profile, and slightly more sediment stored farther offshore (between 0 and -1 m) for the winter mean profile. Based on standard deviation data (Figure 60a), the berm also appears to be in slightly different locations from summer to winter; in summer, the berm varies by about 60 cm, with its crest at the 30 m mark. In winter, the berm varies vertically around 55 cm, with its crest at the 25 m mark.

Similar to KS1, KS2 annualized data (Figure 61) showed general accretion, though it appears that the accretion continued from 1999 through 2006, with loss of the berm and volume along the profile between 2006-2007; this most likely is attributable to the influence of the winter data of 2007. KS2 seasonal data (Figure 62), like that of KS1, show a more inflated berm for the summer mean compared to the winter mean profile, and again, more sediment stored farther offshore for the winter mean profile. The berm at KS2 has greater vertical variability; standard deviation values are around 80 cm during the summer and about 65 cm during the winter (Figure 60b). The berm's horizontal location appears relatively stable, at about 40 m from the pin.

Profiles at Kinney Shores appear to be stable to accretive, and undergo typical seasonal changes.

Contents Introduction The Beaches Discussion References Appendix

Last updated on Januaryy 3, 2008