authorizing the project. Construction was carried out under the 

 supervision of the County with frequent inspection by an engineer of 

 the Mobile District office to see that the work was being prosecuted 

 according to the performance schedule and in ccsnpliance with the 

 approved plans and specifications. Monthly payments were made to the 

 county commensurate with the physical stage of craipletion of the work. 

 The Government's pro-rata share of the cost of work actually in place 

 was computed at 37 *7k percent, equivalent to the ratio of the fixed 

 Federal participation to the total estimated cost for the job. 



Shortly after completion of the hydraulic fill, natural adjustments 

 began to take place in the beach slopes. Wave and tidal action formed 

 a ridge of sand, with a foreshore slope of about 1 on 10, parallel to 

 and a short distance landward of the shore line. Elevation of this 

 ridge, or berm crest, is at about 3«2 feet above mean sea level, which 

 is about the maximum elevation normally reached by the uprushing waves 

 at high tide in Mississippi Sound, The formation of the sand ridge 

 created several undesirable conditions to the beach. Water, which 

 collected in the impounding area landward thereof in some localities, 

 at times became stagnant and collection of fine silt in the wet areas 

 resulted in intermittent growth of marsh grass. These conditions marred 

 the appearance of the beach and detracted from recreational usefulness) 

 however, remedial measures were promptly undertaken by the local 

 government. The beach is now being filled and regradetl, with excess 

 material to a slope of 1 on 100 outward to the berm crest, and allowed 

 to assume its natural elope, about 1 on 10, thence to the water's edge. 

 The sand ridge also seals up the outer ends of the drainage pipes, but 

 during a heavy rainfall a head of water usually develops sufficient to 

 clean them out; otherwise they are opened l>y maintenance crews when 

 necessary. In general, the drainage system is functioning efficiently. 

 Loose sand transported from the beach by southerly winds during dry 

 periods banks up against the eleven-foot wall and is blown over the 

 eight-foot wall and across the adjacent roadway. Although such loss 

 of beach sand is relatively insignificant, additional expense is 

 nevertheless incurred in removing it from the roadway and parkways. 



Cross sections were taken shortly after completion of the hydraulic 

 fill in 1951 and again in June 1953. The sections were located to 

 represent beach areas not under the direct influence of the groin 

 effect of the various outfall pipes or other projections extewiing into 

 the sound. Subsequent to the 1951 survey, about 170,000 cubic yards 

 of material were removed from the beach for backfilling the sea wall* 

 A comparison of the 1951 and 1953 cross sections, and allowing for the 

 quantity of material removed for backfill, indicates that the loss of 

 sand by erosion amounted roughly to 65,000 cubic yards for the two- 

 year period, or an average of 32,500 cubic yards annually. 



9. 



