The shoreline inventory files have been generated to support the application of the Living Shoreline Suitability Model (LSSM), developed by the Center for Coastal Resources Management (CCRM), Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), to enhance and streamline regulatory decision making in Maryland. This shoreline inventory includes the features needed as inputs to run the LSSM.

The data developed for the Shoreline Inventory is based on a three-tiered shoreline assessment approach. This assessment characterizes conditions by using observations made remotely at the desktop using high resolution imagery (MD Six Inch Imagery 2016/2017) . The three-tiered shoreline assessment approach divides the shorezone into three regions: 1) the immediate riparian zone, evaluated for land use; 2) the bank, evaluated for height, and natural protection (i.e., marshes and beaches); and 3) the shoreline, describing the presence of shoreline structures for shore protection and recreational purposes.