State of Maine's Beaches in 2011

Long Sands Beach, York

Two beach profiles (LS01 and LS03, Figure 92) were available for comparison. Profile LS02 was lost during the Patriots' Day Storm of 2007, and profiling not resumed. The profiles are spread from northeast to southwest along the beach.

Winter Profile Changes

LS01 = A (95)

Figure 93

Profile LS01 is located in the northern half of Long Sands Beach and starts in the seawall. This profile received a B in the last assessment. The 2008 one-year post storm profile (Figure 93) was stable along the berm, but showed marked erosion seaward of about the 20 m mark, with the majority of the profile elevations being below those of the immediate post-storm profile. However, the 2009 profile underwent dramatic elevation gains, especially in the berm portion of the profile out to about 50-60 m from the starting point. However, in 2010, the berm underwent significant erosion, losing almost a full meter of elevation near the 20 m mark; offshore, the profile stayed relatively stable. Luckily, in 2011, the profile rebounded, and gained sand at the berm back to the high 2009 elevation out to about 25 m; seaward of this, the profile actually gained sediment slightly along its length. This profile is showing good signs of recovery, and stability, with good recovery from the erosive 2010 season.

LS03 = C (75)

Figure 94

Profile LS03, which is located at a natural cobble dune and beach area south of the bath house, received a B in the last assessment. The 2008 profile (Figure 94) showed slight berm recovery and a gain in elevation of sediment in the offshore portion of the profile, from about 50 m seaward. By 2009, the profile developed a distinct berm feature at the 20 m mark, and although the nearshore developed a steeper slope, the offshore portion of the profile (40 m and seaward) increased in elevation. By 2010, the berm was eroded, and the offshore portion of the profile, from about 40 m seaward, lost large amounts of sand in comparison with other years. This loss resulted in a profile elevation well below that of the 2007 storm. In 2011, the profile showed good stability, with maintenance of the 2010 shape in the berm area, and gains in elevation back to roughly 2008 levels in the low-tide area of the beach. Although this profile is not necessarily growing, it is showing signs of relative stability, although it did lose sand compared with the 2009 shape.

Winter Beach Grade = B+ (87)

The profiles at Long Sands Beach, though quite different (one being a cobble dune and one starting at a seawall), have shown good stability to growth during the winter seasons.

Summer Profile Changes

LS01 = D (65)

Figure 95

The summer beach profile at LS01 (Figure 95) has a relatively flat, featureless, concave shape. It displayed marked stability from 2007 through 2009. However, in 2010, the berm migrated upslope slightly, lowered where it had been, and there were elevation losses along the profile into the offshore to 2007 levels. This profile showed decent stability in its lower portions, but has undergone relatively consistent berm loss and lowering, starting in 2009. The 2010 summer profile is actually below much of the post-2007 summer profile. The profile should be compared with August 2011 data in order to determine whether or not this erosive trend has continued.

LS03 = D (65)

Figure 96

The upper, berm portion of the profile (Figure 96), out to about 25 m, has shown stability over the years, but appeared most well defined in the summer of 2009. Since then, it has receded, but maintained its overall shape very well. Seaward of about 40 meters, which is roughly the break in slope to the low-tide area, the profile has varied in elevation by about 50 cm over the years. It was lowest in elevation here in 2007 and 2010, but showed some growth in 2008 and 2009. The 2010 profile indicates that the summer shape here has undergone continual erosion since the summer of 2008, which concerns us.

Summer Beach Grade = D (65)

Summer beach recovery at Long Sands Beach was good through 2008; however it appears that the profiles have been undergoing slow erosion since 2008, with lowering of the profile in 2009 and continued lowering in 2010. Comparison with August 2011 data is needed. It is clear from the data that LS01 undergoes changes on a much smaller scale than LS02. We are concerned about the summer berm viability at Long Sands Beach.

Summary

We are most concerned about the summer changes noted at Long Sands since 2008; the 2009 assessment noted a B for this beach, mostly due to very good recovery into 2008. 2008 showed the best profile shapes at Long Sands; in general, since then, the profiles have been eroding and lowering, with relatively consistent erosion, especially of the summer profile. The higher winter scores at this beach may be indicated by false stability. This could be caused by the beach being eroded to a ravinement surface (subsurface geology), which thus prevents deeper winter erosion, and gives a sense of profile stability. Long Sands Beach receives a very cautionary C.

Overall grade = C (75)

Contents Introduction Beach Responses Discussion Conclusions References Appendix

Last updated on July 14, 2011