136 



the motels and hotels are a commercial venture, their prime purpose is 

 to support the recreationalist. Finally, recreation sites provide the 

 access needed to enjoy the water. 



Residential developments breed water use because of the proximity 

 of the water. In many communities the development of waterfront 

 property subjects the shoreline to intensive housing development. This, 

 in turn, is accompanied by a buildup of boat docks, fishing and swim- 

 ming piers, and private beaches which are represenative of the owner's 

 affluence (fig. IV.2.14). Whether or not the water use is the primary 

 motivation for the owner is not significant. 



Commercial development of the shoreline includes docks and ship- 

 yards, loading terminals, the smaller municipal and local piers, 

 industrial plants, and airports. These are all built to furnish a service 

 and a profit return for the investors (fig. IV.2.16) . 



Transportation, both commercial and personal, is common to all 

 other activities. In addition it requires highways, commercial port 

 facilities, and airports (fig. IV.2.18). The land- water relationship of 

 airports has been discussed previously. Highways are not directly 

 related to water use but are an integrated part of land- water schemes. 

 Highways along the shoreline usually involve the development of 

 bridges and fills which provide a ready access to the water for aesthetic 

 appreciation and for fisherman. In addition, their protective facili- 

 ties preserve the shoreline and make it available for use. This aspect 

 is impotrant because if the shoreline is not protected adequately, 

 development uses must be foregone and the water becomes inaccessible. 



Other structures built to protect the shoreline include bulkheads to 

 hold the shore in place ; dikes to prevent flooding and extend reclaimed 

 land, jetties to provide a protective barrier between the sea and ship 

 channels ; and groins along beach areas to control sand movement (fig. 

 IV.2.25). 



Section 5. Deliberate Modification of the Estuarine Zone 



Deliberate modification programs are developed to intensify and 

 support major uses. In the past many of these programs resulted in 

 use damages far beyond the intended benefits, but the trends in present 

 practice include attempts to predict unsought consequences. The over- 

 all impact of any modification scheme depends on the type and extent 

 of the project. 



The most common forms of modification are channel dredging for 

 maintenance of navigation : construction of barriers to reduce damage 

 from storm waves and tsunamis; the construction of dikes, jetties, and 

 groins for navigation, storm protection, erosion control, and land rec- 

 lamation purposes; wetland filling through dredging spoil disposal, 

 land fill operations, and solid waste disposal; regulation of fresh 

 water inflow for upstream water use or flood protection ; and the con- 

 struction of highway fills, causeways, bridges for land transportation. 

 These modification activities may occur singly or in combination, but 

 in general the result is the same. The estuarine zone form, structure, 

 shape, salinity, and water movement patterns are affected to some 

 degree. 



The greatest percentage of deliberate modification of the estuarine 



