BEACH ERCSIOIM oTUDISS 



Beach erosion control studies of specific localities are usually made 

 by the Corps of Engineers in cooperation with appropriate agencies of the 

 various States by authority of Section 2 of the River and Harbor Act ap- 

 proved 3 July 1930. By executive ruling the costs of these studies are 

 divided equally between the United States and the cooperating agencies. 

 Information concerning the initiation of a cooperative study may be obtained 

 from any District or Division Engineer of the Corps of Engineers, After a 

 report on a cooperative study has been transmitted to Congress, a summary 

 thereof is included in the next issue of this bulletin, A summary of rev' 

 ports transmitted to Congress since tte last issue of tte Bulletin and 

 list of authorized cooperative studies follow: 



SUMMARIES OF REPORTS TRANSMTTED TO CONGRESS 



COMMSGTICUT - NI..WTIC BAY TO GOinJEGTICUT RIVER 



The area studied cortprises the shore of Long Ireland Sound and Miantic 

 Bay betTyireen Bay Point on the east side of Wiantic Bay and the mouth of Conn- 

 ecticut River, It includes a short section , of shore in the Town of Water- 

 ford and the shores of the Toxims of East Lyive and Old Ljrme, a total length 

 of about 13 miles. This shore area is about 35 miles east of New Haven, 

 Connecticut, and about 10^ miles east of New York City, It is extensively 

 developed as a resort and residential area, with inproveraents ranging from 

 cottages to small estates. The permanent population of the tliree toxms is 

 about l^jOOO, but tlie suimier population of Old Lyrae and East Lyme is 

 about 23j500, Two small town-owned beaches and Rocl<y Neck State Park are 

 included in the area. 



Long Island Sound is a tidal arm of the Atlantic Ocean. Tides are semi- 

 diurnal, the mean range increasing .graduplly from 2,7 feet at I^llstone Point 

 in Waterford to 3»5 feet at Saybrook, Spring ranges are respectively 3«2 

 and It, 2 feet at these locations, tlaximum tide of record at Saybrook was 9«9 

 feet above mean high water. Tides 3 feet or more above mean high water 

 occur aboxit once a year. V7ith a tidal stage of 3 feet above mean high water, 

 the maximum height of breakers landward of the low water line is about haS 

 feet at the east end of the study area and 5 feet at the west end. Larger 

 waves can reach the shore only during infrequent higher tides. Ocean swells 

 entering Long Island Sound between Race Point and Little Gull Island may 

 affect littoral processes, but the waves of primary iirportance are those 

 generated in the sound. Ordinary short storm waves cause littoral movement 

 and offshore loss of beach material. The influence of swells is probably 

 insufficient to cause appreciable return of material from offshore hj xirave 

 action. The greater fetch and wind movement are from the west and sou.thwest 

 but a substantial percentage of storm waves is generated by east xcinds. 

 The predom.lnant direction of littoral drift is north along shores aligned 

 generally north and south. There is generally no predominant direction of 

 littoral drift along shores aligned generally east and iiiest, except for 

 the section west of Brighton Point wtere the drift is predominantly westward, 

 jjrobably due to the influence of the tidal draw of the Connecticut River, 



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