Estuarine Shoreline Mapping Project

The N.C. Division of Coastal Management has completed a project to create the first ever continuous digital map of more than 12,000 miles of estuarine shoreline in North Carolina.
 

The map is the result of a partnership between the state agency and East Carolina University. Among its findings, the project identified the mileage of shoreline types such as a marsh or a swamp forest and the number of shoreline structures such as piers and bulkheads along estuarine waterways. Estuarine shorelines are found along the coast’s broad network of brackish sounds, marshes, rivers and creeks. Estuaries are a unique and important part of coastal life – a transitional area where fresh and salt water mix.

 

Using the most recently available aerial photography for each county, the estuarine shoreline for all 20 coastal counties has been digitized and is now available to view on the state Division of Coastal Management’s website. 

 

Staff from the state Division of Coastal Management and East Carolina University will continue working together to conduct a more in-depth analysis of the shoreline data, including calculating the length of the five distinct shoreline types and the different types of modified shorelines. They will also work to identify regional shoreline development trends and analyze the distribution of various coastal structures.

 

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