the study area. This erosion has resulted in loss of protecting dunes 

 and steepening of the nearshore area. A stone revetment along Surf 

 Street has furnished a degree of protection t© that street, but has 

 relatively high maintenance costs. Northward of the revetment area, 

 the principal damage has been a loss of sand from the beach. This 

 loss has reduced the width of beaches, which are necessary to protect 

 property from wave damage. The tides at Saco are semi-diurnal. At 

 Old Orchard Beach, adjacent to Saco, the mean range is 8.8 feet and the 

 spring range is 10.1 feet. Waves affecting the Saco shore approach 

 from between east-northeast and east-southeast. There is a small 

 southward predominance in direction of littoral drift, as indicated by 

 past accretion at the Saco River north jetty. Lack of accretion in 

 recent years appears to have been the result of passage of material 

 over or landward of the inner end of the jetty. 



The division engineer concluded that the most practicable method 

 for protecting the city of Saco shore against property damage and dune 

 recession is a comprehensive sand fill plan. The plan included the 

 construction of a sand beach with a berm 50 feet wide at elevation 15 

 feet above mean low water, by artificial placement of approximately 

 570,000 cubic yards of suitable sand for the initial fill. The division 

 engineer also concluded that the most practicable method for protecting 

 only the shore between the north jetty at Saco River and Sunrise Avenue, 

 where the principal damage has occurred, was a partial sand fill plan. 

 For a beach with 50-foot berm width at elevation 15 feet above mean low 

 water, he estimated this plan would involve placement of about 140,000 

 cubic yards of suitable sand for the initial fill. Maintenance of the 

 beach fills would be by periodic placement of additional sand. The 

 estimated average annual requirements, as estimated by the division 

 engineer, were respectively 81,000 and 11,000 cubic yards for the com- 

 prehensive and partial fill plans. In order to reduce the loss of beach 

 material around the inshore end of the Saco River north jetty, the jetty 

 would be extended landward under either of the sand fill plans. The 

 division engineer further concluded that although the existing revet- 

 ment along Surf Street between Lower Beach Road and Sunrise Avenue is 

 in fair condition, a heavier and tighter structure with lower maintenance 

 costs could be provided by chinking the present revetment with smaller 

 stone and placing additional large cover stones. After making an 

 economic analysis of the considered protective plans,, the division 

 engineer concluded that none of the plans were economically justified by 

 evaluated benefits and recommended no Federal project be adopted at this 

 time by the United States for the protection of the shore of Saco, Maine, 

 He further recommended that protective measures which may be undertaken 

 by local interests, based upon their determination of economic justifica- 

 tion, be accomplished in accordance with methods proposed and projects 

 considered in his report. 



The Beach Erosion Board concurred generally in the views and re- 

 commendations of the division engineer. However, the Board separately 

 estimated the annual nourishment required to maintain the comprehensive 



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