The distribution of this size fraction varied only slightly from 

 one end of the study area to the other. Sediments on transects 1 to 4 

 had an average of two to three times more gravel than sediments on 

 transect 5 to 9 (Table 8). This; difference could possibly be 

 attributed to a higher erosion rate near West Pass causing the smaller 

 sized particles to be eroded away. This section of the beach near West 

 Pass also received spoil from dredging in Grand Lagoon in January 1972. 

 The spoil probably had numerous particles larger than the existing 

 beach sand. 



b. Sand . Surface sediments in the nearshore ranged from 93 to 

 100 percent of the total sample weight in the sand fraction. Over 



87 percent of the stations had weight percentages of the sand fraction 

 in the 99- to 99.9-percent range. Almost 6 percent of the stations 

 consisted of 100-percent sand (Fig. 11) . 



The average percent of the total sample weight of this size 

 fraction at all transect stations was 99.752. Station 1 had the 

 lowest average weight percentage of sand; station 4 had the highest 

 (Table 6) . The average weight percentage of sand at stations A and B 

 in 30 feet of water was 99.911 percent (Table 7). 



The distribution of this size fraction varied slightly over the 

 study area. Lower percentages of sand were present at transects 1 to 4 

 and higher percentages of sand were present on transects 5 to 9 

 (Table 8). 



c. Silt . Surface sediments in the study area ranged from to 

 0.217 percent of the total sample weight in the silt fraction. Almost 

 50 percent of the stations had weight percentages of the silt-size 

 fraction in the 0.001- to 0.050 -per cent range. Over 9 percent of the 

 stations had percent of silt present (Fig. 12). 



The average weight percent of this size fraction at all transect 

 stations was 0.048. Station 1 had the lowest weight percent of silt; 

 station 4 had the highest (Table 6). The percent of silt at stations 

 A and B was 0.117 (Table 7). 



The distribution of this size fraction remained fairly constant 

 throughout the study area. Average values for each transect only 

 ranged from 0.041 to 0.059 percent of the total sample weight (Table 8). 



d. Clay. This size fraction was absent from all stations in the 

 study area (Tables 6, 7, and 8). 



31 



