IV. APPLICATION TO SHALLOW-WATER GAGE SITE 
AT NAGS HEAD, NORTH CAROLINA 
Wave data used to test the model were obtained from a pier-mounted staff 
gage in a 16-foot water depth at Nags Head, North Carolina (see Thompson, 
1977)2. Digital records were collected and analyzed at 6-hour intervals, with 
numerous interruptions, from December 1968 to March 1978. Significant wave 
heights from each of 54 relatively complete months were processed, as discussed 
previously, to form one dimensionless distribution containing 5,220 observa- 
tions (see Fig.). The empirical distribution extends to an exceedance percent-— 
age of 0.02. Many cases at low exceedance percentages may be affected by the 
limited water depth at the Nags Head site, as indicated by the hatched area in 
the Figure. 
A ant 
re Z tj ff GY Z \ Y A CAUTION: Hg m 
Gyn 4-6, SPM) y J | be limited By wat 
YE y yy v, depth at site 
ae Yj 
wn 
_ = 
pf = ° 
2 
238° VU 
ez ZONA YY 
2s tj. (3,220 Obsn 
= 35 ify), 
=, © LYf, pp 
A= 2 
a 
on 
So 
=5 
o 
@ 
= 
° | 
0 
0.0! 0.1 | 10 100 
Percent Greater than Indicated, F X |OOpct 
Figure. Distribution of significant wave height, 
Nags Head, North Carolina. 
2THOMPSON, E.F., "Wave Climate at Selected Locations Along U.S. Coasts," 
TR 77-1, U.S. Army, Corps of Engineers, Coastal Engineering Research Center, 
Fort Belvoir, Va., Jan. 1977. 
