State of Maine's Beaches in 2007

Willard Beach, South Portland

Background geology and characteristics

Willard Beach is a relatively small (<600 m) arcuate-shaped pocket beach bound by bedrock headlands and located within Simonton Cove in South Portland. It is moderately developed and the beach and dune are mostly in a natural state, with only about 15% of the shoreline being armored (Dickson, 2006b). Two studies of historical shoreline change have been completed for Willard Beach. A 1977 study found that the shoreline underwent periods of erosion and accretion, with erosion rates as high as 3 to 5 feet per year (Timson, 1977). The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (1982) released a report which noted that the 6, 12, and 18-foot depth contour lines all moved inland from 1853 to 1941.

There are 6 beach profiles (WI1-WI6) along Willard Beach, starting at the southern end of the beach. Several marks have been added over the past few years, and data only exist through the online database for a few locations (Figure 5). MGS has surveyed all the starting points.

Annual and seasonal beach profile changes

Unfortunately, the majority of data collected for profiles at Willard Beach was not available through the online database, and therefore much has been omitted from this analysis. Data were available for WI1, WI3 and WI4, and are included herein. No data were available for WI2, WI5, or WI6. Subsequent data, once incorporated into the database, will be included in updated editions of this report.

At WI1, only data from 2000 were available. The averaged profile (Figure 6) shows a relatively prominent berm about 10 m in width, positioned at approximately the +0.5 m contour. This profile also represents the available seasonal data, since only 1 profile that was collected was available for analysis (June 2000).

At WI3, data were available for parts of 2001 and 2002. Mean profiles (Figure 7) show that the entire profile accreted from 2001 to 2002. Seasonal data (Figure 8) indicate that both the winter and summer profiles have a wide berm, with little change until 0 m NAVD (at 75 m from the mark), where the summer profile tends to have more sediment. Standard deviation data (Figure 9a) indicate marked variability at the 55 m mark in both summer and winter profiles, but notably summer (variations up to 35 cm). Offshore sand storage during winter (at 110 m) varies to about 35 cm vertically as well, indicating that the sediment that is lost from the beach berm area in the summer is stored offshore in the winter each season.

Figure 10

Figure 11

The beach at WI4 had data available from 2001 to 2002. Here, the profile appears to have lost some sediment at the base of the dune (at the 2.5 m NAVD elevation), but gained sediment down the rest of the profile (Figure 10). Seasonally, a slightly larger berm is evident in the summer, with both profiles having very small profile envelopes (Figure 11). Variability is minute; standard deviation values for both summer and winter are on the order of 10 cm or less (Figure 9b). This indicates seasonal stability of the profiles.

Data that were available for analysis show that the enclosed littoral system at Willard Beach undergoes typical seasonal changes (i.e., winter and summer profile shapes). Overall, the system is relatively stable, with sediment that is eroded from the dunes and profile during the winter returning in the summer months. Although it is not included herein, analysis of the beach was completed by MGS after the Patriots' Day Storm in 2007 (Slovinsky, 2007). This indicated substantial horizontal and volumetric losses along the dune and the beach. Subsequent profiling of the beach will help determine whether or not Willard Beach effectively recovers from this event.

Contents Introduction The Beaches Discussion References Appendix

Last updated on January 3, 2008