BEACH AND INLET CHANGES AT LUDLAM BEACH, NEW JERSEY 



by 

 Craig H. Everts, 

 Allan E. DeWall, and 

 Martin T. Czemiak 



I . INTRODUCTION 



This report presents the results from a 10-year study of 20 profile lines 

 at Ludlam Beach, New Jersey, between October 1962 and March 1972. About 90 

 surveys were made along each profile line from landward of the dunes, or from 

 a bulkhead, to wading depth in the surf zone. Additional data on Ludlam Beach 

 were obtained from aerial photos, visual wave observations, sand samples, 

 personal inspections, and previous reports. 



Ludlam Beach is one of 16 beaches on the U.S. Atlantic coast under study 

 in the Coastal Engineering Research Center's (CERC) Beach Evaluation Program 

 (BEP) . The objective of the program is to observe topographic changes on 

 beaches in response to waves and tides of specific intensity and duration as 

 a first step in developing a storm warning system for low- lying coastal commu- 

 nities. The BEP was a direct outcome of investigations into the effects of 

 the Great East Coast Storm of March 1962 (see U.S. Congress, 1962). 



Although this report meets the objective of the BEP, it primarily provides 

 basic engineering information for use in the planning and design of protective 

 structures, or of remedial measures, for stabilizing and maintaining beaches. 

 Changes in the shape, sand volume, and shoreline position of the beach above 

 mean sea level (MSL) elevation are described for the entire length of the 

 barrier island. The duration of the study and the number of surveys (1,760) 

 make it unique in that several frequencies of beach change, such as those 

 associated with storms, between months, years, and over the 10-year study 

 period, are identified. In addition, using less accurate data from an analy- 

 sis of 20 sequential sets of vertical aerial photos, longer tenii (1949-74) 

 changes in the position of the shoreline are available. The report also 

 describes shoreline changes at the inlets bounding Ludlam Beach. Information 

 is thus provided on where, when, and how much beach material is eroded or 

 deposited, and in what direction it is transported. Definitions of the terms 

 used in the analysis of beach changes are given in Appendix A. 



II. LUDLAM BEACH LOCALITY 

 1. Physical Setting . 



Ludlam Beach, one of a series of elongated barrier islands along the Atlan- 

 tic coastline of southern New Jersey, is located about 100 miles south of New 

 York City and 20 miles south of Atlantic City (Fig. 1). The region landward 

 of Ludlam Beach is characterized by large bays, marshes, and lagoons connected 

 to the Atlantic Ocean by tidal inlets (Figs. 2 and 3). 



Ludlam Beach is bounded on the north by Corson Inlet and on the south by 

 Townsend Inlet (Fig. 3). These inlets are navigable for small craft, and 

 connect to the New Jersey Intracoastal Waterway channel west of the island. 

 The waterway passes through Ludlam Bay which is a 0.75- by 1 .5-mile-wide 

 shallow-water body behind the island, midway between Corson and Townsend Inlets 



