period of 10 years from the year of completion of the initial beach 

 restoration. 



The Chief of Engineers concurred in the views and recommendations 

 of the Beach Erosion Board. 



WESSAGUSSETT BEACH, WEYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS 



The purpose of the investigation was to determine the best method 

 of restoration and stabilization of the beach and stabilization of the 

 bluff between Wessagussett Yacht Club and the junction of River Street 

 and Fort Point Road in Weymouth. The Town of Weymouth is located in 

 Norfolk County about 10 miles southeast of Boston. Wessagussett Beach 

 is located on the south shore of Weymouth Fore River, a branch of the 

 Boston Bay estuary. The eastern section of the study area is a short 

 tombolo between the glacial deposits at Fort Point and Weymouth Great 

 Hill. The central section consists of a narrow beach fronting the 

 Great Hill bluff. The western section is a wider beach fronting low 

 land. The total length of the study area is about 0.6 mile. Weymouth 

 is a residential and industrial community with a presently estimated 

 permanent population of about £0,000. The shore of the study area is 

 publicly owned except at one residence adjacent to the Yacht Club and 

 the frontage along River Street. The Town of Weymouth is considering 

 acquisition of the property seaward of River Street. 



The tides in the study area are semi-diurnal. The mean and 

 spring ranges are respectively 9.5 and 11.0 feet. The maximum tides 

 of record were about 15 feet above mean low water. Tides in excess 

 of 3.1 feet above mean high water occur about once a year. The south 

 shore of Weymouth Fore River is exposed to waves up to about 3 feet 

 high from the northeast generated in the limited fetch of Hingham Bay, 

 the adjacent section of Boston Bay. Beach material has been supplied 

 to the shore of the study area by westward littoral transport from 

 erosion of bluffs to the east and within the study area. Protection 

 of the bluffs has reduced this supply with resultant erosion of the 

 beaches. 



The Division Engineer and Beach Erosion Board developed plans for 

 restoration and stabilization of the beach and protection of the bluff, 

 and concluded that practicable plans for protection and improvement of 

 Wessagussett Beach comprise sand fills, groin and rubble-mound wall 

 construction. They further concluded that a project for Wessagussett 

 Beach is justified by prospective benefits and that the public owner- 

 ship and interest involved in the project warrant Federal aid in 

 initial construction under the provisions of Public Law 826, 8Uth 

 Congress. The Board stated that in the event the River Street shore 

 frontage is acquired by a public agency, Federal aid to the extent of 

 one-third of the first costs is warranted, but even if the River Street 

 section remains in private ownership, protection thereof would result 

 in substantial public benefits by reason of the protection of the public 

 road and Federal aid toward the first costs would be warranted to the 

 extent of one-third adjusted by the ratio of public to total benefits 

 for that section. The Division Engineer and Beach Erosion 3oard 



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