(now Fort Belvoir), Virginia, provided an initial listing when, in 1929, he compiled a 

 "Bibliography on Sand Movement and Beach Erosion." Copies of this Usting were 

 distributed to the members of the Board, as well as to other interested parties. Shortly 

 thereafter, Haferkorn expanded this work into a 114-page book entitled, "Sand Movement, 

 Beaches and Kindred Subjects— A Bibliography." 



During the short period of its existence, this small Board, composed of Army engineers 

 and civilian consultants, established a tradition of scientific inquiry that was continued and 

 expanded by the BEB. These early investigators were true pioneers seeking knowledge on a 

 new frontier. Moreover, a coterie of personnel had begun to form that was to lend both 

 creativity and guidance to the youthful field which was to become known as coastal 

 engineering. 



3. The Beach Erosion Board— Its Creation and Formative Years. 



Within a year after its organization in 1926, the ASBPA was seeking a way "to have the 

 Federal government assume the function of unifying and coordinating the efforts of the 

 several states."* Congressional supporters of the association were working on a bill that 

 would provide this participation. Success came a few years later. Section 2 of Public Law 

 520, 71st Congress, approved on July 3, 1930, gave autliority to the Chief of Engineers, 

 U.S. Army, to have made, in cooperation with the appropriate agencies of the various 

 coastal States, investigations and studies aimed at "devising effective means of presenting 

 erosion of the shores of coastal and lake waters by waves and currents." The funding 

 provision for these investigations and studies was, "that no money shaU be expended under 

 authority of this section in any State which does not provide for cooperation with the 

 agents of the United States and contribute to the project such funds and/or services as the 

 Secretary of War may deem appropriate and require, ... "48 In this regard, the poUcy 

 which was adopted was that the local group requesting the study supply one-half the 

 expenses (in funds or services) and that the Federal Government would supply the other 

 half. This was for the study only and did not include moneys for construction of shore 

 protection structures. 



This legislation, also stated that: 



"there shall be organized under the Chief of Engineers, United States Army, by 

 detail from time to time from the Corps of Engineers and from the engineers of 

 State agencies charged with beach erosion and shore protection a board of seven 

 members, of whom four shall be officers of the Corps of Engineers and three shall 

 be selected with regard to their special fitness by the Chief of Engineers from 

 among the State agencies cooperating with the War Department." 



This board was to furnish technical assistance in the conduct of the above studies, review 

 the reports of the investigations made, and where deemed necessary, make firsthand 

 examinations of the localities under study. 



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