Figure 6. Graph depticting the change in local relative sea level over the past 14,000 years in coastal Maine (after Barnhardt and others, 1995). The dots represent coordinates of radiocarbon dates and elevations/depths from shells of marine animals with a known relationship to tidal sea level datums (Mya arenaria lives near the low tide line) and wood fragments, from which the graph was constructed. Sea level, relative to land in Maine, was higher than the present coastline 14,000 years ago, and then fell in response to the isostatic uplift of the land following deglaciation. Sea level reached its lowstand around 10,800 years ago, and has since risen over the land.

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Last updated on October 6, 2005

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