22nd Physics of Estuaries and Coastal Seas (PECS 2026) – Portland, Maine
Abstract Submission
Abstract submission is now closed
The conference organizers are reviewing abstracts and will send notifications of acceptance prior to April 1.
Note: Accepted abstracts will be compiled into the PECS 2026 Book of Abstracts and distributed to conference attendees before the conference begins. The abstracts will not be assigned a DOI or made searchable on the web.
Registration Opens: April 1st, 2026
University of Southern Maine, Hannaford Hall
Sunday, August 9 – Friday, August 14, 2026
pecs2026@gmail.com
Lodging and Travel
Portland Commons, USM’s newest residence hall, has been reserved as a budget-friendly lodging option for attendees for the duration of the conference. Both single and double rooms are available. The rate for a single room is $103.17 (USD) per night and doubles are $86.44 (USD) per person per night. Portland Commons is walking distance ( ~500 ft. [150 m]) from Hannaford Hall, the primary conference location. Attendees are not required to stay in Portland Commons, but transportation from other lodging options will not be provided.
All rooms in Portland Commons come with linens (bedding and towels), a bar of soap, shampoo, conditioner, and a cup. All rooms also have a mini fridge and microwave.
More information on Portland Commons can be found here: .
Attendees will be able to reserve their room during registration.
Other nearby hotel options include the (1.0 mile [1.6 km]), (1.0 mile [1.6 km]), (1.3 miles [2.1 km]), and numerous downtown options (~2 miles [3.2 km] away).
Travel Options
PECS Conference
Topics
The Idea Behind the PECS
PECS (Physics of Estuaries and Coastal Seas) is an independent organisation whose sole purpose is to organise the PECSbiennial conferences. The objectives of these conferences are to
Emphasis is on the results of field and laboratory measurements, and theoretical and numerical analysis, with the aim of better understanding the underlying physical processes. Other relevant topics are also acceptable. This conference series emphasizes informal exchanges in a collegial environment. All sessions are plenary and attendance is limited to one hundred and fifty participants.
History
During the 1950s and ’60s, coastal engineers and coastal oceanographers focused on different problems with regard to estuaries. Coastal engineering problems related mostly to stability of tidal inlets, land reclamation and the closure of estuaries and bays for storm surge protection. Solving these problems required knowledge of tides and tidal currents. In contrast, coastal oceanographers tended to concentrate on tidal mean properties including salinity, stratification, gravitational circulation. While coastal engineers derived their tools from hydraulics, coastal oceanographers relied on geophysical fluid dynamics.
In the seventies the coastal engineers started to face different types of problems relating mostly to water quality. Because water quality is largely determined by tidal mean motions, the coastal engineers began to seek help from coastal oceanographers. As a result of this the coastal oceanographers detected an interest in their work that had been absent in the community of blue water oceanographers.
The logical place for the two disciplines to meet and exchange ideas seemed to be the biennial International Conference on Coastal Engineering (ICCE). Unfortunately, the forum of the ICCE became increasingly focused on the nearshore, relegating estuarine problems to the status of stepchild. It was at the ICCE of 1976 that a small group of coastal engineers and coastal oceanographers realised that their interests would be better served by a specialty conference focusing on the physics of estuaries. The idea was to have this conference at the same venue and either directly preceding or following the ICCE. This idea ultimately was abandoned because it was difficult to find host institutions in some of the places where the ICCE was held.
PECS has a Steering Committee consisting of the chairpersons of the previous meetings. The Committee ensures that future conferences adhere to the above mentioned objectives. The board also selects the venue of future conferences. Organising a conference and publishing conference papers is the sole responsibility of the local organising committee.
2026 PECS Sponsors
