Ludlam Beach, New Jersey 



52. Ludlam Beach (Figure 13) is oriented N34 degrees E with a beach 

 width of approximately 75 m and a mild foreshore slope (1:43). The island, 

 which varies between 400 to 1,600 m in width, is bordered by Corson Inlet to 

 the north and Townsend Inlet to the south. Ludlam Bay and a series of tidal 

 marshes separate the island from the mainland. Net longshore transport is to 

 the south. The beach covers a layer of peat which limits erosion during 

 severe storms on some of the northern profile lines. Coastal dunes with 

 heights up to 4.6 m exist on the northern portion of the island. Average 

 shoreline change was approximately -2.5 m/year during the study period 

 (Everts, DeWall, and Czerniak 1980). A seawall and groin field is located in 

 the central part of the island. This groin field has been regularly extended 

 southward in an attempt to halt downdrift erosion. Everts (1979) showed that 

 the groin field had been effective in stabilizing the shore. 



53. Ludlam Beach experienced less erosion than most of the study sites 

 with an overall median change for the 10 storms of -7.5 m^/ra. Profile lines 

 5 and 16 through 19 tended to erode the most; profile lines 2, 3, and 11 

 through 13 (within the groin field) were more stable. Most erosion occurred 

 between msl and the 2-m contour. Changes were low enough on the beach to 

 cause erosion of the shoreline. Median shoreline movement was -2.2 m. Slope 

 changes were negligible. 



54. The storm causing the highest median volume change (-24.7 m^/m) 

 occurred on 12 November 1968. The largest single profile loss as well as the 

 widest range of changes occurred 16 September 1967. Profile line 17 eroded 

 -61.2 m^/m, and profile line 10 accreted 28.3 lar/m. This event had a surge- 

 return period of only once every 1.6 years. The largest storm of the study, 

 with a surge-return period of 13 years, occurred on 19 February 1972 and 

 caused a low median volume change of only -8.4 m^/ra. 



55. The storms after 1975 were monitored by the Storm Erosion Studies. 

 Though fewer profile lines were surveyed, volume changes were generally 

 greater for these three storms with a median change of -17.6 m^/m. Using 

 data from the 19 December 1977 storm, Birkemeier (1979) showed that poststorm 

 recovery at Ludlam Beach was not as rapid as that found at Long Beach Island. 



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