Kristen Grant: Hi, I'm Kristen Grant, with Maine Sea Grant and the University of Maine
Cooperative Extension.
Sandy beaches are vitally important to Maine.
They bolster Maine's economy as recreational resources provide critical wildlife habitat
and buffer the coast against storms.
However, many of Maine's beaches are threatened by erosion from coastal engineering and natural
forces.
Engineering structures, such as jetties and seawalls, may have the unintended consequence
of interfering with the natural distribution of the sand.
To effectively manage beach erosion, coastal property owners and towns need science-based
information for decision-making.
Kristen: In 1999, the University of Maine and Maine Geological Survey teamed up with
Maine Sea Grant to develop a program to collect data that helps determine how beaches change
over time.
The partners created a volunteer monitoring program in southern Maine.
Today, more than 150 volunteers are using a simple surveying technique called beach
profiling to measure changes in the distribution of sand on the major beaches, between South
Portland and York, Maine.
Our volunteers use the Emery Beach Profiling Method, which is a simple surveying technique
that is used to measure changes in elevation of the sand on the beach, relative to a nonmoving
point, which, in our case, is the horizon.
It's important that beach profiling is conducted on relatively clear days, when there is a
good view of the horizon.
Kristen: The equipment is simply two wooden, one and a half meter poles, connected by a
three meter rope and a datasheet.
[waves] It's best to have three people conduct profiling, two to hold poles...person one
and person two...and one to take notes and record the measurements.
For step one, find the starting point and the vertical marker for the profiling line.
The starting point is often a piece of metal buried in the sand, but, in this case, it's
a marker on the seawall.
By starting the measurements from the same point every time, we are recording changes
in the same place and comparing apples to apples.
On every profiling line, a vertical marker has been identified behind the starting point.
It may be a tree, a flagpole or, in this case, a telephone pole.
Find this vertical marker.
For step two, measure the height of the sand at the starting point.
We need to measure the height of the starting point in relation to the height of the sand.
If the starting point is above the sand, as it is here, turn one of your poles upside
down so that the zero is on the sand.
Measure up to the top of the starting point and note the measurement.
Kristen: Record this measurement on the datasheet.
For step three, set up pole one.
Person one stands pole one on the ground immediately in front of the starting point and steps away
from the pole.
For step four, set up pole two.
Person two walks their pole towards the ocean, until the rope runs out.
Place pole two on the ground so that it lines up with pole one, the starting point, and
the vertical marker.
For step five, take the elevation measurement and record it.
Person one sights the horizon at the top of the lower pole so that they line up.
This line of sight will intersect partway up the other pole.
Read the elevation number marked on the other pole at the point of intersection.
Record this number on the datasheet.
Record the horizontal measurement or the length of rope between the poles, which will often
be three meters.
Now, for step six, move ahead.
As person two waits, move pole one into the same footprint pole two occupied.
Now pole two can be moved ahead and realigned with pole one, the starting point and the
vertical marker.
For step seven, repeat steps five and six, measure, record and move.
Continue to move ahead, repeating the steps all the way to the water.
This completes our beach profiling line, from the top of the dune to the waterline.
Kristen: We hope this demonstration has helped you understand the basics of the beach profiling
method.
Volunteer teams from York to South Portland monitor beaches once a month all year long
and they would be eager for your help.