In anticipation of the storm, and realizing the opportunity to measure 

 large-scale environmental changes alongshore, NMFS conducted an intertidal 

 benthic survey that consisted of faunal sampling before the storm and during 

 a 1-month period after the storm. The pattern of faunal disruption and re- 

 covery recorded in this unique study provided considerable insight into the 

 sequence of population changes to be expected in the proposed beach nourish- 

 ment program (Saloman, and Naughton, 1977) . 



In the next year (July-August 1976), the Corps of Engineers funded an 

 emergency dredging operation to restore the most ravaged beach areas and 

 established berms to provide temporary protection against storms normally 

 occurring during fall and winter seasons. Numerous borrow areas, 305 to 610 

 meters offshore (6- to 9-meter depth) were dredged and about 306,000 cubic 

 meters of sand was pumped ashore at 23 distribution sites (U.S. Army 

 Engineer District, Mobile, 1976). 



At the same time, NMFS again conducted studies of the nearshore environ- 

 ment over a 3-month period prior to dredging, during dredging, and for about 

 6 months after dredging was completed. Benthic sampling sites were selected 

 in nourishment areas and in unrestored areas. The location of the three 

 nourishment areas coincided with the location of benthic base-line data 

 collected in 1974 (Saloman and Naughton, unpublished data). 



Based on emergency nourishment experience and the analysis of the 

 Hurricane Eloise data collected, the Mobile District revised original plans 

 for shoreline protection and maintenance at Panama City Beach. The revised 

 plan included berm enlargement on the beach front and additions to height and 

 width of backbeach dunes. Consequently, the volume of sand estimated for 

 original construction was increased from 4 to 8 million cubic meters; and 

 borrow areas formerly selected at 9-meter depths were relocated seaward along 

 the 18-meter bottom contour (Wilson, 1976) . 



Onshore, the environmental impact of this latest plan can probably be 

 predicted to a high degree of accuracy on the basis of findings in NMFS beach 

 surveys in 1974 and 1976. Briefly stated, the results of these Investigations 

 showed that shallow, subtidal and intertidal faunas recover rapidly following 

 major disturbances (natural or man-induced) . A more recent study funded by 

 CERC provides additional information on the long-term environmental effects 

 of dredging in offshore borrow areas at Panama City Beach (Culter and Mahadevan, 

 1982). A study of short-term environmental effects of dredging in offshore 

 borrow areas at Panama City Beach is the subject of the present report. 



2 . Purpose . 



This report provides a comprehensive analysis of benthic data from studies 

 designed to show short-term environmental effects of offshore dredging during 

 the emergency restoration project at Panama City Beach in July-August 1976. 



