seawall built in sections in 1898, 1947, and the 1950s (Figures 2 and 3). 
This ocean coast has been suffering from chronic shoreline erosion for more 
than a century. Numerous groins have been constructed since about 1910 to 
maintain the beach (Figures 4 and 5), and beachfills have been placed by local 
interests, State Government, and Federal Government. Depletion of the sandy 
beach reduces the integrity of the seawall, increasing the risk of catastro- 
phic failure of the wall during a storm. 
Review of Previous Studies 
13. A comprehensive annotated bibliography on the coastal literature of 
the northern New Jersey coast is given in a CERC report (Gorman 1988) compan- 
ion to this project. The work of Kondolf (1978), Gares (1981), and Heritage 
Studies (1985) may also be consulted for general historical and geological 
information. 
14. Many coastal geology and geomorphology studies have been made for 
Sandy Hook. In contrast, few published geologic or coastal engineering 
studies can be found for the highly structured coast to the south of Sandy 
Hook, which includes the present project area, Sea Bright to Ocean Township. 
15. One of the most well-known applied studies in the field of coastal 
engineering was the budget analysis performed by Caldwell (1966) for the New 
Jersey coast. This paper introduced and refined basic techniques that have 
been incorporated in virtually all subsequent coastal budget analyses. Other 
pertinent coastal processes-related studies of the area are the wave hindcast 
of Saville (1954), the visually observed breaking wave conditions at Monmouth 
Beach compiled by Helle (1958), and the wave hindcast and sediment transport 
analysis of Fairchild (1966). 
16. The literature on Sandy Hook will be introduced, followed by a 
critical review of general engineering and coastal processes literature on the 
north New Jersey coast. 
Sandy Hook 
17. Sandy Hook is one of the most famous spits in the world. It is 
approximately 10 miles long (16 km) and projects northward from the New Jersey 
barrier island chain into the New York Bight. Sandy Hook Lighthouse serves as 
a reliable landmark for intercomparison of numerous shoreline maps available 
from the 18th century to present. Shoreline change at Sandy Hook figured 
13 
