abundances prior to the storm at the other CLIS mounds, tend to 

 reduce sediment shear strength and critical erosion velocities. 



The apparent lack of severe bottom disturbance at MQR 

 suggests that the erosional influence of the storm was potentially 

 a function of the infaunal successional stage. Because all the 

 disposal mounds within the CLIS site are located in similar water 

 depths, depth does not appear to be a factor in the pattern of 

 disturbance. Throughout its post-disposal history, MQR has been 

 dominated by Stage I assemblages, displaying an abberantly slow 

 recolonization rate. It has been suggested, based on this 

 observation, that high chemical contaminant levels in the sediment 

 may have been responsible for precluding the recolonization of the 

 site by higher-order successional infauna. Stage I communities are 

 characterized by near-surface, tube-dwelling taxa which bind and 

 stabilize the surface and do not bioturbate sediments deeply. 

 Conversely, Stage III forms rework sediments extensively, resulting 

 in unconsolidated, low shear strength surface sediment layers. 

 Sediments at the MQR site were most likely resistant to erosional 

 forces due to the absence of Stage III infauna. Moreover, the 

 sites which exhibited well-developed Stage III communities in 

 August, such as STNH-N, showed evidence of extensive surface 

 sediment disturbance. 



The results of the onshore-offshore REMOTS® and sediment 

 core transect indicate that bottom disturbance was widespread 

 shoreward of the CLIS site (Figure 4-1) . Areas shoreward of the 

 15 m isobath appear to have experienced extensive sediment 

 resuspension. Shell lag deposits and rippled sand layers overlying 

 silt-clay sediments were evident throughout the region. 

 Conversely, the deepest station (CLIS-REF) , located in 25 m of 

 water showed little evidence of bottom disturbance. This station 

 was apparently located below the hurricane wave base. 



4.3 Response of the Sediment-Water Interface at NLON to 

 Hurricane Gloria 



The results of previous studies outlining the effects of 

 storms on the sediment transport system within Long Island Sound 

 include the work of Bokuniewicz and Gordon (1980) , studies by 

 McCall (1978) , Aller and Cochran (1976) , Morton and Miller (1980) , 

 and Bohlen (1982) , and summaries of the in-progress FVP work. 

 These investigations have shown that the sediment-water interface 

 in the Sound is relatively stable and, for the most part, in 

 equilibrium with the prevailing tidal stream. Disequilibrium can 

 be introduced by disposal-related variations in water depth or a 

 storm-induced increase in boundary shear stress associated with 

 the surface wave field. These studies suggest that the latter 

 effects should be most pronounced inshore of the 25 m isobath. The 

 magnitude of wave-related effects would vary primarily in response 

 to wind direction, with speed and duration representing secondary 



34 



