PROGRESS REPORTS ON RESEARCH SPONSORED BY 

 THE BEACH EROSION BOARD 



Compiled by Thorndike Saville, Jr., Research Division 

 Beach Erosion Board 



Summaries of progress made during fiscal year 1962 (i.e. to June 30, 

 1962) on the several research contracts in force between universities 

 or other institutions and the Beach Erosion Board, together with brief 

 statements as to the status of some research projects being prosecuted in 

 the laboratory of the Beach Erosion Board, are presented below. These 

 summaries supplement and continue those contained in prior issues of the 

 Bulletin. 



I. University of California, Contract DA-49-055-eng-8. Sources of 

 Beach Sand . 



Seasonal sampling of the eighteen beaches in the San Francisco area 

 was continued during the early part of the year. A report "Beaches Near 

 San Francisco, California, 1957-1958" describing some of the observations 

 on these beaches was given limited distribution by the University of 

 California as Institute of Engineering Research Technical Report, Series 

 14, Issue 23. This report indicated that beach profiles and materials 

 differed considerably from beach to beach on the individual beaches ob- 

 served, and from time to time at the same beach. However, the data 

 apparently neither supported nor disproved the hypothesis that beach sand 

 is statistically finer and better sorted in summer than in winter. The 

 report concludes that the long intervals between sampling dates may have 

 been responsible for many of the inconsistencies observed during the 1957 

 to 1958 period and that it is possible that when beaches are occupied at 

 relatively long intervals of time, beach material and profile parameters 

 may become primarily functions of the vagaries of wave energy just prior 

 to the sampling, rather than functions of seasonal trends. 



Sampling of the beaches north of the Russian River was discontinued 

 as it was felt that the prime purpose of the investigation (i.e. to deter- 

 mine the general distribution of grain size and foreshore slope on these 

 beaches at different seasons) had been accomplished. A report "Beaches in 

 Northwestern California" describing these observations was prepared and 

 given limited distribution by the University of California as Institute of 

 Engineering Research Technical Report, Series 14, Issue 25. This report 

 describes conditions at the various beaches sampled, and indicates differ- 

 ences between them. The report indicates that although groups of stations 

 having sands that are not significantly different, usually fall within 

 boundaries of geographic units, the sands at any given locality can seldom 

 be correlated with the existing wave exposure; consequently it is concluded 

 that beach character must reflect other causes as well, such as material 

 source, location, and quantity. 



64 



