Preserving Obear Park

The contour map of Obear Park shows that most of the park is at an elevation from 10 to 20 feet, and the Park's facilities are at this higher elevation.

Included on the map are the range of tides. The high tide line marks the highest tides of the month (yellow line) that occur twice a month near the time of the full and new moons. The red line outlines the current extent of flooding from coastal storms.

The image on the left shows the current and predicted sea level rise for 2030, 2050 and 2070. High tides and storms will cause the shoreline of Obear Park to move landward.

The entrance road to the Park and the neighborhood walking paths are flooded today by some storms and will be flooded in the future by sea level rise.

Erosion is the natural process that takes place when forces found in nature, such as wind and water, break down and transport earthen materials. Erosion occurs as marine clay and any fill are taken away from Obear's coastline by the tidal currents of the Danvers River and the wind and waves of storms.

You can visually understand the erosion occurring at the Park in the photos on the right. Observe the "No Lifeguard on Duty" sign from 2014 when it was surrounded by grass until there was nothing left to hold the sign posts in 2021.

Using a series of orthophotos, CDM-Smith digitized the shoreline. The digitized red line shows the Park's southern tip receded in 1969. It appears that the Park's southwestern side was filled in between 1938 to 1969 as evidenced in the photo below. From 1969 to 2005, the Park's southern tip rebuilt. However, the 2019 digitized line shows erosion of the southern edge of the park since 2005.

There is evidence on the Park's southwestern corner of past attempts to build up the shoreline with miscellaneous fill material, such as the brick that is clearly visible today.

The aerial map shows five different water access points around Obear Park. The 2021 Obear Park Coastal Resiliency Survey results indicated that Area 3 is the primary access point for fishing, boating and beach-going by those who want to enjoy the Park and the Danvers River.

• 78% said they access the water at Area 3
• 78% said they fish from Area 3
• 53% said they drag small boats and kayaks in and out of water at Area 3.

Obear Park Feasibility Study

To determine near-term and potential long-term improvements, the following coastal processes that are  potential drivers of erosion were evaluated by CDM-Smith .

• Long-term coastal erosion
• Waves
• Water levels & sea level rise
• Currents

The study focused on three areas that are experiencing erosion:

There are some simple short-term enhancements that can be implemented to address erosion of the Obear Park today with the help of park visitors.

• Implement a no-mow strip along the current eroding edges of the shoreline. Vegetation and deeper roots will hold the soil better.

• Install temporary fencing to direct people to the two appropriate pedestrian access points to the beach

• Design and install informational signage explaining the reasons for changing access to the water and mowing practices along the shore

Informational sign will be installed to help park visitors understand the goals and benefits of the natural shoreline protections. Signs may include information about beach access points, erosion control methods and plantings.

Conceptual erosion control designs were explored for these three areas of vulnerable shoreline. To design a natural solution that will withstand the erosional forces of nature is not simple. The City will continue to research possible options and finalize design concepts for the at-risk areas that have been identified through this study with the goal to apply for grant funding in the spring of 2022.

The illustration demonstrates the concept of berming the shoreline, while creating a more gentle shoreline edge using coir logs and native salt-tolerant plants.

With the help of Park visitors and future natural shoreline enhancements, the City's goal for Obear Park is to extend its community recreational function as long as possible.

As the City of Beverly and its residents tackle climate change, living shorelines can provide the region with many benefits as outlined in the NOAA resource on the right.