MAINE WEBCAMS

NERACOOS Enters the WebCOOS Network with Two Webcam Installations in Camp Ellis, Maine

Partnership Between NERACOOS, Maine Geological Survey, and National Weather Service Enhances Coastal Monitoring

The Northeast Regional Association of Coastal Ocean Observing Systems (NERACOOS) joins the Webcam Coastal Observation System (WebCOOS) network by installing two new webcams in Camp Ellis, Maine. This partnership between the Maine Geological Survey and the National Weather Service will enhance the monitoring of coastal change and storm impacts.

The two cameras will provide critical visual data for ongoing research and coastal management efforts. Camera one is pointed to the north to monitor storm impacts and changes to Ferry Beach.  Video from this camera will be analyzed to identify the increasing or decreasing trends in beach width and be used to validate the National Weather Service’s wave run-up model for Ferry Beach. 

Camera two, facing south, will monitor wave patterns around the existing jetty and waves that overtop the sea wall during storms. In the future the camera will help monitor changes resulting from a spur jetty to be constructed as part of an erosion mitigation project at the Camp Ellis jetty.

“This resource aids in forecasting hazardous storms along southern Maine’s beaches,” said John Cannon, former Senior Meteorologist and Marine Program Manager, NWS Gray. “The webcam in Camp Ellis in Saco offers real-time feedback to emergency officials and has already proven valuable during a severe winter storm. Its imagery is crucial for monitoring large waves, enabling the National Weather Service to protect Maine’s citizens and property”

The partnership between WebCOOS, NERACOOS, the Maine Geological Survey, and the National Weather Service reflects a commitment to using technology to understand and protect Maine’s coastal environment. The cameras are live and publicly accessible through WebCOOs.org.