Historical shoreline change maps have been completed for much of the U. S. coastline, but this information is of greatly varying reliability due to large differences in accuracy. Shoreline positions through time as shown on map overlays are generally accepted as fact without consideration of the error bar associated with the particular map-making procedure. This problem has been exasperated by the fact that many shoreline mappers actually have only a rudimentary understanding of photogrammetry. There are a number of techniques currently utilized to acquire information on historical shoreline changes. This article describes the principal methodologies and introduces a new, automated technique, termed Metric Mapping, which is finding much utility in shoreline and coastal environments mapping.
