Photograph courtesy of David M. Mickelson.
Final Project for GEOL 376/GLE 401 Coastal Geomorphology
Richard Albert Becker
December 20, 2004
Sea level has varied over 100 m along the coast of Maine over the last 15 ka and increasing rates of rise threaten coastal investments from Kittery to Eastport although the greatest danger exists in Southern Maine as a result of the high development pressure and venerable coastline. 13 ka BP relative sea level was ~60 m higher and parts of Maine now 100 miles from the coast were covered by the ocean. 11 ka BP relative sea level was ~55 m lower and much of what is now seafloor was dry land inhabited by paleoindians. Currently the rate of sea level is rise ~2 mm/yr and that is expected to increase. This is anomalously high compared to the last couple of thousand of years and humans are a likely factor for this. This will mean increased storm damage along the coast of Maine over the next several decades.
Photograph courtesy of David M. Mickelson.