As piecemeal protection by walls, bulkheads, and revetments is both 
extremely expensive and will agszravate erosion in unprotected areas, the 
Board concluded that protection of the shore by artificially placed 
beaches is the most practicable means where extensive frontages are 
involved. Maintenance of the beaches by artificial means is, of course 
an essential part of the plan. If maintained, the plan can be effective 
permanently. The Board believed that the annual costs of this plan on 
a large scale basis may be found to be less than the costs for any other 
plan. In addition to providing protection, the beaches would be available 
for recreational use. Considering ail costs and benefits, the Board was 
of the opinion that the protective beach plan would probably have substantially 
better economic justification than other plans. 
The Board recommended that the State of Ohio investigate sources 
and costs of placing suitable material and consider the adoption of com- 
prehensive plans of protecting extensive reaches of shore by artificial 
placement and replenishnent of sandy beaches, based upon its own deter- 
mination of economic justification. 
The Chief of Engineers concurred in the views and recommendations 
of the Beach Erosion Board. 
SHORE OF GALVESTON BAY FROM APRIL FOOL POINT TO KEMAH, 
GALVESTON COUNTY, TEXAS 
The area studied is located on the west shore of Galveston Bay 
about 17 miles north of Galveston, Texas. It includes the shore from 
April Fool Point to the mouth of Clear Creek at Kemah, a distance of about 
10 miles. 
The property along the shore line of the study area has been 
developed mainly for private residential and summer resort use. The 
principal centers of population are San Leon, Clifton by the vea and 
Kemah. The residential population of about 1,000 along the bay shore of 
the study area is more than tripled by summer residents. Many additional 
persons visit the area over summer weekends. The shore is privately 
owned except for ends of public streets extending to the shore. Although 
some pollution of bay waters may exist, it is insufficient to render the 
shore area undesirable for residential use. 
The shore cf the study area consists of a narrow sandy beach in front 
of a steep eroding bluff composed principally of sandy clays. The top 
of the bluff varies in elevation from about 10 to 17 feet above mean 
sea level. Little of the bluff material is of sufficient size for beach 
building. Sections of the bluff slough off and fall to the beach during 
the rainy season. They disintegrate under wave action and most of the 
material is carried offshore. The short local wind waves characteristic 
of the bay are not of the type that would tend to return material to the 
shore. Over the period of record, the shore from April Fool Point to 
a point about 2 miles north of Edwards Point receded an average of about 
lh feet annually, thence north to Clear Creek the recession averaged 
about 2 feet annually. 
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