waves sufficient enough to cause sediment resuspension at the MBDS, winds would have to 

 blow at 43 knots for at least 12 hours. Smaller storms with winds on the order of 30-40 mph 

 would not be expected to cause significant erosion (Hubbard et al. 1988). Hurricane Bob 

 and the Halloween Storm both had storm conditions that exceeded those predicted to cause 

 bottom erosion, especially the Halloween Storm. 



Normally, storms producing conditions to cause sediment resuspension at the MBDS 

 are predicted to occur once every four years (Hubbard et al. 1988). These events are usually 

 of short duration (1-2 days). The effect of these storms on more shallow deposits of natural 

 sediments is certain to sharply increase the suspended sediment load of the entire region; the 

 addition of small amounts of sediment dispersed from the MBDS disposal site would be 

 insignificant and undetectable (Hubbard et al. 1988). 



From 30 March to 4 April 1992, SAIC conducted field operations at MBDS to 

 provide information on the effects of disposal operations since the August 1990 bathymetric 

 and REMOTS® surveys. Field operations included precision bathymetry and REMOTS® 

 sediment-profile photography. This study was designed to test the following predictions: 



1) the dredged materials disposed since 1990 should have increased the size of the 

 mound detected by bathymetry in 1990, 



2) the benthic community at the reference area would be similar to that found in the 

 1990 survey, and 



3) benthic infauna would be absent around the disposal buoy due to the presence of fresh 

 Boston Blue Clay from the dredging of Boston Harbor. 



Monitoring Cruise at the Massachusetts Bay Disposal Site. March 31 - April 4, 1992 



