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Home > Explore! > Coastal Marine Geology > Saco Bay Beach Morphology > Historical Background > Table 1


Table 1. History of Saco River stabilization.

1827Constructed two wooden piers, placed navigation buoys, removed obstructions.
1866Northern jetty authorized by Congress.
1869Northern jetty construction initiated.
1872Northern jetty completed (4,200ft long, 20ft at base, 10ft wide at crest, to +10ft MLW).
1873Jetty raised and strengthened at exposed places.
1883Suggestion to raise jetty to +15ft MLW, extend to Sharp's Ledge, and construct a southern jetty to mitigate shoaling.
1888Construction on north jetty in progress.
1890South jetty construction authorized and initiated; north jetty raised to +15ft MLW for 2,100ft from seaward end.
1896Completed repair and raising of north jetty to +15ft MLW to 3,840ft from seaward end. South jetty completed in 1897. Remaining 700ft of north jetty raised by 1898.
1900Additional survey restates suggestion to extend northern jetty to Sharp's Ledge.
1912Repair of jetties and extension of southern jetty completed. Construction of spur jetty, 400ft parallel to shore, 150ft seaward of shoreline.
1927Construction to extend northern jetty additional 1,600ft seaward commenced; south jetty repaired.
1930Repair on south jetty continued, including re-topping; northern jetty only extended 880ft seaward.
1935Additional 860ft extension commenced; inner end of north jetty repaired.
1937Northern jetty extended 830ft.
1940Repairs recommended on spur dike and portions of northern and southern jetties.
1958Maintenance and repair to increase height of inner end of northern jetty. Jetty extended shoreward to maintain connection to land.
1969Raising (to +17ft MLW) and tightening of northern jetty completed.
1973Maintenance of south jetty completed.

Last updated on January 9, 2006.