159 



Relation of Transportation and Deposition of Sediment 

 to Discharge of Sltidge into the Bay 



Existing patterns of sediments in Santa Monica Bay 

 indicate that oceanographic conditions which cause the 

 deposition and transportation of the sediments may fluctuate 

 enough in some areas to create a condition of intermittent 

 deposition and removal of fine-grained material. This con- 

 dition seems to be especially true near the head of Santa 

 Monica Canyon and along the inshore side of the central 

 shelf projection where sands and silty sands are composed of 

 a relic coarse fraction plus a fine fraction deposited from 

 suspension. The preservation of relic material in these 

 surface sediments indicates that although the fine silt can 

 deposit here 5 often the sediments are reworked and most of 

 the fine material resuspended. This area is in the vicinity 

 of the end of the sludge outfall « 



Currents in this portion of the bay flow toward shore 

 during most of the year. It is evident that particles of 

 sludge emanating from the end of the outfall which go into 

 suspension will move shoreward as they settle. However, it 

 is also important as a result of information collected on 

 sedimentation in the bay to recognize the possibility of 

 resuspension and further movement toward shore of any sludge 

 accumulating in these areas of the shelf. Thus, there is a 

 distinct possibility that sludge acctiraulating near the end of 

 the outfall and at a distance inshore might be carried pro- 

 gressively toward shore by repeated resuspension and current 



motion and form a sludge deposit at a point intermediate 

 between the end of the outfall and shore. 



