Time Line

1846 - 1988

Historical data on accretion vs. erosion of beach adjacent to Farm Pond and Harthaven.

1846-97
shoreline stationary or slightly accretional (+ 0.5 feet/year)

1897-1955
massive shoreline erosion, loss of 350-480 feet (- 7 feet/year). (Comment by FWB: Was this due to the protection of East Chop with boulders, which cut off supply of sand for the Oak Bluffs beaches?)

1955-88
rapid but somewhat decreased shoreline erosion (-2.5 feet/year). However the area north of the new jetties has experienced continuous accretion due to sand trapping of new jetty

Reference
May 1988 report by IEP, "Report on the Hydrology and Water Quality Characteristics of Farm Pond, Oak Bluffs, Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts"