lived, but strong northerly winds from December through February 
(Fisher, et al., 1972). The dominance of winds from the southeast 
and the winter northers is even more significant when wind duration 
is multiplied by average hourly velocity. 
The study area was located on the north side of East Bay along the 
shoreline of Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge in Chambers County, Texas 
(Figs. 2 and 3). Blocks I and II have a general southeasterly exposure. 
The fetch ranges from less than 1 mile in Block I to about 2 miles in 
Block II. Block III is exposed to the southwest and the fetch exceeds 
6 miles. Block VI, located behind the shoreline in a ditch, is pro- 
tected from both wind and wave action. The only water action results 
from tidal fluctuations (Fig. 4). 
Block I has a gentle sloping shoreline with a natural accumulation 
of shell that exceeds 2 inches in depth in some plots (Fig. 5). In 
contrast, Block II has a steep-cut bank forming the shoreline (Fig. 6) 
with the water level always at the base of the bank. Block III has a 
gentle sloping shoreline, but the surface has been covered by artificial 
placement of oyster shell to depths of at least 2 inches (Fig. 7). 
The shoreline, in each block was divided into three zones based on 
length of inundation. The lower zone was considered to be below mean 
low tide and was constantly inundated. In contrast, the middle zone 
consisted of that part of the shoreline between mean low tide and mean 
high tide. The upper zone was above mean high tide and was inundated 
only by abnormally high tides. 
III. PROCEDURES 
Bay water samples were collected biweekly in each block. Samples 
were collected approximately 10 feet from shore and stored in airtight 
bottles until analyzed. Conductivity in micromhos per centimeter for 
each sample was measured on a wheatstone bridge. Conversion factors 
listed in U.S. Salinity Laboratory (1954) were used to convert micromhos 
per centimeter at 25° Celsius to parts per million (ppm). 
Soil samples were collected on two different dates, 9 February and 
24 May 1974 at three locations within each block (end plots and middle 
plots). An exception was Block IV in which only one location was 
sampled. At each location, soils were taken at three arbitrary depths, 
0 to 2, 2 to 4, and 4’to 6 inches, and in three zones (upper, middle, 
and lower). Each soil sample was oven dried at 100° Celsius for 24 
hours. Shells and rocks were removed and the samples were ground by a 
mechanical grinder and finally by a mortar and pestle to break up 
remaining particles. Particles that would not pass through a 2- 
millimeter screen were removed. Large quantities of shell were re- 
corded by weight and expressed as a percent of total sample weight. 
Soil textural analyses followed the procedures outlined by 
Bouyoucos (1962). Samples were run in duplicate and the average 
