GEOMORPHOLOGY AND SEDIMENTS OF THE INNER CONTINENTAL SHELF 

 CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA 



h 



Michael E. Field 



and 

 David B. Duane 



I. INTRODUCTION 

 1. Background. 



Ocean beaches and dunes constitute a vital buffer zone between the sea and coastal areas, 

 and also provide much needed recreation areas for the public. The construction, 

 improvement, and maintenance of beaches through the artificial placement (nourishment) 

 of sand on the shore is one of several protection methods. This technique has gained 

 prominence in coastal engineering largely as a result of the successful program initiated at 

 Santa Barbara, California, in 1938. (HaU, 1952.) 



Where the specified plan of improvement involves shore restoration and periodic 

 nourishment, large volumes of sand fill may be involved. In recent years it has become 

 increasingly difficult to obtain suitable sand from lagoonal or inland sources in sufficient 

 quantities and at an economical cost for beach fill purposes. This is due in part to increased 

 land value, diminution and depletion of previously used nearby sources, and added cost of 

 transporting sand from areas increasingly remote. Material" composing the bottom and 

 subbottom of estuaries, lagoons, and bays is often too fine-grained and not suitable for 

 long-term protection. While the loss of some fines is inevitable as the new beach sediment 

 seeks equilibrium with its environment, it is possible to estimate the stability of the beach 

 fill and therefore keep the loss to a minimum through selection of the most suitable fill 

 material. (Krumbein and James, 1965.) 



The problem of locating a suitable and economical sand supply led the Corps of Engineers 

 to a search for new unexploited deposits of sand. The search focused offshore with the 

 intent to explore and inventory deposits suitable for future fill requirements, and 

 subsequently to develop and refine techniques for transferring offshore sand to the beach. 

 The exploration program is conducted through the U.S. Army Coastal Engineering Research 

 Center (CERC). An initial phase in developing techniques for transferring offshore sand to 

 the beach is described by Mauriello (1967). In 1968, nearly 1.5 X 10* cubic yards of sand 

 were successfully transferred from offshore to Redondo Beach, Cahfornia by Los Angeles 

 District, Corps of Engineers. 



Formerly called the sand inventory program, it was begun in 1964 with a survey off the 

 New Jersey coast. Subsequent surveys included the inshore waters off New England, New 

 York, Florida, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, North Carohna, and California. Recognizing 

 the broader application of the information collected in the conduct of the research program 

 toward the CERC mission, especially in terms of Continental Shelf sedimentation (Field, 

 Meisburger and Duane, 1971), and its potential application to historical geology (Field, 

 1974), and engineering studies of the shelf (Duane, et al., 1972), the sand inventory 

 program is now referred to as the Inner Continental Shelf Sediment and Structure Program 

 (ICONS). 



