Maine Nearshore Survey System (NSS) Bathymetric Elevation Data

To view the data, zoom in on the map to your area of interest. The data will activate automatically while zooming in.

Data Description and Usage

This viewer contains 1) points representing elevation data collected using the MGS Nearshore Survey System (NSS) at 1 point-per-second intervals between 2016 and 2025 at various locations along the Maine coastline and for select inland study areas; and 2) interpolated raster datasets representing bathymetry of certain study areas where point data collection was at a high enough resolution to support raster creation. Note that not all study areas with points have associated interpolated rasters.

Certain coastal Maine study areas are monitored roughly annually to track sediment migration after dredged materials are placed for beach nourishment or nearshore placement (specific beaches in Wells, Saco, Old Orchard Beach, Scarborough). Data was also collected for other study areas where MGS scientists were asked to survey for other special purposes (Fore River, East End Beach, Mackworth Island, Lanes Island, Leonard Lake, Blue Hill Bay, and Kennebec River).

Data Disclaimer

These data are meant to help inform decisions at the local, regional, and state-level for beach management. Users must assume responsibility in determining the usability of this data for their purposes. Metadata is included for all of the downloadable layers and should be reviewed for more specifics on how these data were created. Neither the Maine Geological Survey nor the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, nor its employees or agents: (1) make any warranty, either expressed or implied for merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose, as to the accuracy or reliability of the information shown on the map; nor are they (2) liable for any damages, including consequential damages, from using the map or the inability to use the map.

Frequently Asked Questions

The frequently asked questions provide more information about how the data layers were created, what they should be used for, usage limitations and general information on shoreline change in Maine.

Data Download

The beach mapping shoreline change layers can be downloaded as shapefiles for use in any GIS software to perform further spatial analysis.

Citations

Recommended citations for the project, web application, and datasets:

Project

Web Application

Data

More Help

Contact the Maine Geological Survey with questions at: mgs@maine.gov

Maine.gov