DCM has undertaken a project that will map North Carolina's estuarine shoreline through Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The shoreline will be used to evaluate DCM’s existing policy language within its estuarine and ocean system areas of environmental concern (AEC).

Additionally, the shoreline will be used for numerous research ventures including but not limited to: creating inventories of shoreline and structure type, quantifying shoreline mileage, studying ecosystem function and cumulative impacts and for examining shoreline change. Also, shoreline data may be used to monitor future trends of shoreline movement, or to perform a more detailed analysis of modified portions of the shoreline and their resulting impacts on estuarine system services. This work will provide data and support DCM’s efforts to develop and implement a sustainable estuarine shoreline policy for North Carolina.

Primarily, mapping work has been conducted by East Carolina University (ECU) through a series of DCM 309 Enhancement Grant Contracts. Thirteen counties have been contracted out to ECU, while two counties are being completed in house at DCM. Five counties will be completed as monies and new aerial photography become available. 

You may also download the DCM Estuarine Shoreline Mapping Methodology (updated January 2010).

As data is finalized, DCM will post it here for downloading.