State of Maine's Beaches in 2009

Drakes Island Beach, Wells

Four beach profiles (DI01-DI04, Figure 49) were available for analysis of beach recovery. Profile data were available from May 22, 2006, May 14, 2007 (immediate post-storm), May 1, 2008, and May 20, 2009.

DI01 = A

Figure 50

Located adjacent to the north jetty at the Webhannet River, DI01 underwent dramatic erosion, losing upwards of 1 m of sand elevation along certain sections of the profile, resulting in the formation of a steep berm and bar (Figure 50). Recovery occurred along the majority of the profile by 2008, with the eroded berm returning. Recovery continued into 2009, with additional profile elevation gains along the length of the profile.

DI02 = A

Figure 51

At DI02, the storm actually caused the movement of sediment (likely cobbles) from the lower portions of the profile (apparent in 2006 near 70 m offshore), to the upper portion of the profile in 2007 (near 25 m offshore, Figure 51). The uppermost portion of the profile did not appear to change. By 2008, the entire profile underwent accretion, with elevation being gained along the entire length. Some slight erosion of the profile is apparent in 2009, but the extensive recovery that appears to have occurred remained.

DI03 = D

Figure 52

The storm actually caused the profile to gain in elevation at the 20 m (berm) and 50 m marks, likely due to the deposition of cobbles on the profile during the storm (Figure 52). By 2008, the profile had significantly eroded along its length, losing between 20-50 cm of elevation. The 2009 profile showed some recovery from the 2008 shape, with minimal gains in the nearshore, and larger elevation gains in the offshore. DI03 was apparently impacted by a large storm in the end of April, 2008, where wave heights reached over 3.2 m (10 feet) between April 28 and April 30. This apparently slowed down recovery at this profile.

DI04 = D

Figure 53

The storm eroded the profile from a relatively flat, slightly concave shape, to a series of bars, with loss of elevation along the profile (Figure 53). Similar to DI03, the profile eroded in 2008, likely in response to the same storm, resulting in the lowest elevations of the four profiles compared. By 2009, some recovery had occurred in the offshore, though the upper portion of the profile was still below the 2007 storm shape.

Summary

Profiles closer to the jetty along Drakes Island recovered very well from the storm. It appears that the storm positively influenced the profile at DI03. Both DI03 and DI04 were adversely impacted by a relatively strong storm at the end of April 2008, which eroded each of these profiles to the lowest elevations of all four. The impacts of these storms may indicate that DI03 and DI04 have not recovered, and remain susceptible to erosion from smaller events.

Overall grade = B-

Contents Introduction Beach Responses Discussion Conclusions References

Last updated on November 19, 2009