bal 
of median diameters roughly approximates the bottom material 
chart in showing a general size decrease away from the shore, 
There are exceptions in both the central area of rock and gravel 
and the southern area of organic sand where the diameters are 
large, and the Redondo Canyon area where: they are small. The 
sediments throughout the entire bay are mostly well-sorted, 
having an average sorting coefficient of 2.02, although in the 
canyons and the rock and gravel areas the sorting is relatively 
poor. Exceptionally good sorting occurs in the nearshore zone 
where winnowing action by waves carries away the finer particles, 
and in the nearshore areas where relic sands occur. 
The organic carbon content of the sediment ranges from 0.13% 
to 2.76%, with an average value of 0.90%. The sediment immediately 
offshore, with the exception of the fine material in Redondo Canyon, 
has an organic carbon content of less than 0.50%, Exceptions to 
the general offshore increase in organic content occur in the rock 
and gravel areas where the values are similar to those of the 
nearshore sediments. The highest values occur in Redondo Canyon 
and below the shelfbreak. Thus, there is a progressive increase 
of organic carbon with depth. This may be a result of less 
agitation of the particles in the water or of greater deposition 
of organic matter with finer than with coarser sediments, It 
is interesting to note that there is no particular increase in 
organic carbon content in the vicinity of the sewer outfall. 
OCEANOGRAPHY NEAR THE OUTFALL AREAS 
Salinity 
Orange County 
From October 22, 1955 to December 20, 1955, the normal salinity 
of the main body of the shelf water was 33.45 o/oo (Table 3). The 
