171 



It had been the experience of previous investigators 

 working in the bay that currents were generally slow, and 

 it was widely believed that they were erratic and unpre- 

 dictable. The work during the present survey has confirmed 

 the fact that velocities are often low, but it is now 

 evident that the currents are not erratic and reindom in 

 nature; on the contrary, there are several well-defined 

 patterns of flow. Because of the lack of basic data from 

 other sources, it has not yet been possible to adequately 

 investigate the causes of these patterns or to correlate 

 their occurrence with meteorological or other conditions. 

 In this sense only are the currents unpredictable. 



Current Meter Observations 



Between June 26 and October 19, 1955, 114 current meter 

 observations were made in Santa Monica Bay using a Geraware 

 meter at depths from 15 to 190 feet, in the following localities; 

 the head of the Santa Monica Submarine Canyon, off the Hyperion 

 outfall, over the rocky portion of the central shelf, off Malibu, 

 and off Santa Monica, At many stations where subsurface and 

 deep meter readings were taken, the surface direction aind 

 velocity was also determined by means of a current cro3S, On 

 June 6, 1956, another series of 24 readings were obtained with 

 an Ekman meter between the surface and 80 feet near the Redondo 

 Submarine Canyon, 



Velocities ranged from negligible to 0,45 statute miles 

 per hour, (Note? all distances and velocities in this section 

 on circulation are given in statute miles and statute miles 



