TL;DR
Prime made for students and young adults
- Fast, free delivery for dorm and study essentials
- Prime Video and Amazon Music included
- Member-only deals
The Maine Geological Survey, Maine Sea Grant and University of Maine engineering group have combined remote-sensing information with NOAA datasets to improve coastal bluff maps and characterize wave patterns along Maine’s coast. The data are intended to support hazard assessments and will be added to a new version of the state’s Living Shorelines Decision Support Tool.
The Maine Geological Survey, Maine Sea Grant and University of Maine engineering group have combined remote-sensing information with NOAA datasets to improve coastal bluff maps and measure wave patterns along Maine’s coast. The work is intended to give planners more consistent information for hazard assessments, shoreline protection decisions and resilience planning, including through a planned update to the state’s Living Shorelines Decision Support Tool.
The partners addressed gaps in existing coastal information by combining remote-sensing data with NOAA land-cover data and its Coastal Ocean Reanalysis, or CORA, dataset. They used CORA to extract mean wave direction and significant wave height, then analyzed those measures to establish wave-energy patterns along the coastline. NOAA’s report says the approach provides a consistent, continuous dataset across the coastal zone.
The resulting wave analysis is described as a baseline for understanding wave dynamics and variability. It is intended to support ongoing coastal hazard assessments and resilience planning. The report also says the wave data will be incorporated into a new version of Maine Geological Survey’s Living Shorelines Decision Support Tool, so planners can use more precise metrics when considering living shoreline projects.
The collaboration also included NOAA’s Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services and NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management. The source report does not provide a release date for the updated tool or specify whether the new map products are already available for public use.
Better Data for Shoreline Decisions
The work addresses a practical planning problem: coastal managers need current information about development, erosion and bluff stability, as well as data on the forces acting on shorelines, to plan and permit protective measures. Maps that do not reflect current conditions can leave planners with an incomplete picture when comparing risks or evaluating where interventions may be appropriate.
The scale of Maine’s bluff coastline helps explain the need. NOAA’s report says bluffs make up 48 percent of the state’s 5,000-mile coastline. Better information about waves and shoreline conditions could help communities assess coastal hazards and consider resilient designs. The report describes the data as supporting those activities; it does not claim that the mapping itself will prevent erosion or determine which protection system a community should choose.
Adding wave information to the state’s decision-support tool could make it easier for planners to compare local conditions while considering living shorelines. The potential value is in improving the evidence available for planning and permitting, rather than replacing local review or other engineering and environmental assessments.
Popular right now
Samsung QN65LS03FAFXZA 65 The Frame QLED 4K Art Mode Vision AI Smart TV (2025)
Dreame L40 Ultra Gen 2 Robot Vacuum and Mop with 25,000 Pa Suction
Dyson Cyclone V10 Origin Cordless Vacuum
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Why Maine’s Shoreline Maps Needed Updating
According to NOAA, many existing maps are more than 20 years old and lack current information about development, erosion and bluff stability. The report identifies those gaps as a challenge for Maine planners, particularly given the extent of bluffs along the state’s coast. It also says coastal managers need detailed information about forces affecting shorelines to plan, design and permit resilient protection systems.
To respond, the partners sought to increase the precision and accuracy of coastal bluff maps and improve decision-support tools. Rather than relying on one source, they combined remote sensing with NOAA land-cover and CORA data. The CORA analysis focused on wave direction and significant wave height, allowing the partners to describe wave-energy patterns across the coastline in a consistent way.
The effort brings together state, university and federal contributors: the Maine Geological Survey, Maine Sea Grant, University of Maine, NOAA’s Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services, and NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management. The NOAA report presents the work as support for ongoing planning, not as a completed statewide construction or shoreline-protection program.
““Updated and accurate shoreline maps are critical for Maine planners.””
— NOAA report
Map Availability and Tool Release
The NOAA source does not state when the updated maps or revised decision-support tool will be released, whether either product is already publicly accessible, or how frequently the underlying data will be refreshed. It also does not provide map-scale accuracy figures, describe validation results, or identify specific towns and shoreline segments covered by the updated bluff mapping.
The report says the wave data will be included in a new tool version, but it does not give a launch date or explain how the added metrics will affect individual project reviews. It also does not quantify how the mapping work may change estimates of erosion risk or the design and permitting of shoreline projects. Those details remain outside the information provided in the source.
Data to Enter Planning Tools
The next stated step is to include the CORA-derived wave data in a new version of the Maine Geological Survey’s Living Shorelines Decision Support Tool. That addition is intended to give users more precise metrics for planning living shorelines. The source report does not announce a release date, so the timing and public availability of the update remain unconfirmed.
In the meantime, the report says the wave analysis supports ongoing hazard assessments and resilience planning. Further details from the Maine Geological Survey or its partners would be needed to establish the tool’s rollout schedule, data coverage and how planners will apply the products in specific coastal decisions.
Key Questions
Who worked on the Maine shoreline mapping effort?
The main partners were the Maine Geological Survey, Maine Sea Grant and the University of Maine engineering group. NOAA’s Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services and NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management also contributed.
What information did the partners combine?
They combined remote-sensing data with NOAA land-cover information and data from NOAA’s Coastal Ocean Reanalysis, or CORA. The CORA analysis included mean wave direction and significant wave height.
How will the wave data be used?
NOAA says the analysis provides a baseline for hazard assessments and resilience planning. The wave data are also planned for inclusion in a new version of Maine’s Living Shorelines Decision Support Tool.
When will the updated decision-support tool be available?
The NOAA report does not give a release date or say whether the updated tool is already available to the public.
Why does Maine need updated shoreline maps?
NOAA says many existing maps are more than 20 years old and do not include current information about development, erosion and bluff stability. The report says bluffs account for 48 percent of Maine’s 5,000-mile coastline.
Source: noaa.gov
