considered in the design of a small 

 craft harbor. The design should be 

 appropriate for local weather conditions, 

 including precipitation, wind, ice, and 

 fog for both durability and safety rea- 

 sons (Dunham and Finn 1974). Waves, 

 shoaling, and geological factors should 

 also be considered. 



According to Clark (1974), a site 

 with maximum natural protection will 

 minimize alterations and the concomitant 

 adverse impacts. Alterations, such as 

 dredging and continual maintenance, 

 can be avoided by selecting a location 

 with the maximum natural physical ben- 

 efits (Florida Department of Natural Re- 

 sources 1973). Bauer (1973) recommends 

 that marinas be located "...at the end 

 of, or between drift sectors, or on self- 

 contained pocket beaches. .. "to minimize 

 impact. 



A concept presented by Ketchum 

 (1972) states that one way of reducing 

 adverse impact on bay or inlet habitat 

 is to construct the marina inland, con- 

 necting it to the sea by canals. This 

 is presently being done in some areas 

 of the United States (see Regional Con- 

 siderations). Inland marinas should 

 leave adjacent wetland communities un- 

 disturbed (Florida Game and Freshwater 

 Fish Commission 1975). The Florida De- 

 partment of Natural Resources (1973), 

 in their list of recommendations on ma- 

 rina location and design, recommends 

 that marinas catering primarily to craft 

 smaller than 24 ft (7.3 m) should use 

 upland dry-storage facilities, rather 

 than occupy water space. 



The entrance channel should be 

 designed for safe navigation for vessels 

 expected to use the harbor. Sailboats 

 may require different design conditions 

 from power boats. Narrow winding 

 channels should be avoided and bends 

 should be gradual (Dunham and Finn 

 1974). Traffic during busy periods 

 should not cause excessive congestion 

 or danger. 



One of the problems consistently 

 mentioned in the literature was that of 

 proper water circulation and flushing 

 within a harbor. When designing a small 

 craft harbor, it is important that water 

 circulation is assured. Wick (1973) 



suggests that the shape of a boat basin 

 should fit water flow patterns of the 

 area. This means avoiding square-shaped 

 basins that create deadwater areas. 

 Deadend canals or basins are not advis- 

 ed. Basins should not be deeper than 

 the access channel (Florida Game and 

 Freshwater Fish Commission 1975). Heiser 

 and Finn (1970) recommend the "flow- 

 through designs" and cite Shilshole 

 Marina as a good example (Figure 6). They 

 also suggest reducing stagnation by fac- 

 ing the entrance away from prevailing 

 summer winds. According to Stock ley 

 (1974), open pile and floating breakwa- 

 ters allow the most water circulation in 

 a marina. Proper circulation would mean 

 the marina should be designed in length, 

 width, and depth so that a large per- 

 centage of the water can be exchanged 

 each tidal cycle. Stagnant areas where 

 exchange will not occur should be avoid- 

 ed. Culverts have been used in harbor 

 construction to enhance circulation. If 

 proper circulation is not designed into 

 the marina, then some type of flushing 

 mechanism should be provided. If dis- 

 solved oxygen levels become too low, 

 mechanical aeration may be necessary 

 (Environmental Quality Laboratory, Inc. 

 1977) although it is expensive and not 

 as reliable as avoiding the situation in 

 the first place. 



Several sources recommend alterna- 

 tives to bulkheading in marinas. Accord- 

 ing to Carlisle (1977), rock breakwaters 

 with moorage along the piers in deeper 

 water are preferable to bulkheaded 

 areas. Slawson (1977) suggests that 

 mooring piers be run into the water from 

 riprap edges rather than using bulkheads 

 at the water's edge. The section on 

 bulkheads should be consulted for fur- 

 ther information. With increased use of 

 the harbor area, water quality may be 

 threatened. Small craft harbors should 

 not be located near sewage or industrial 

 waste outlets (Heiser and Finn 1970). 

 Proper disposal of litter, sewage, and 

 runoff should be provided. Discarding 

 scrapfish, unused bait, and fish remains 

 in marina waters should be prohibited 

 (Heiser and Finn 1970). Regulations 

 limiting the amount of toxic materials 

 that can enter the water from boats or 

 marine structures should be enforced. 

 Fuel should be stored and handled care- 

 fully to prevent spillage. Methods for 



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