2.44 meters per second, average velocity for the 75 largest surges was only 

 1.4 meters per second. Overwash surges in rapid succession often had high 

 velocities and large flow depths; percolation losses were minimal. A double 

 surge appears in Figure 6. Highest velocities and greatest flow depths were 

 associated with the turbulent head of the overwash bore. A long tail of low 

 velocities and low flow depths was recorded as the surge passed the current 

 meter probe (Fig. 6). 



1.75- 

 150- 





f\ 















125- 



/ Surg* 1 \ 



Surga 2 \ 



16 Mor 



1976 











I0O- 



\ 

















75- 



\ 

















050- 



1 

















025- 



/ 











-^_ 



^\_ 



~^\ 



Time (s) 



Figure 6. Overwash surge velocities recorded during the 16 March 1976 

 northeaster. 



It is interesting to compare in a qualitative manner the beach response 

 north and south of Nauset Inlet during the 16 March 1976 storm. At North 

 Beach the berm was displaced 1.5 meters landward, but its integrity as a 

 topographic feature was maintained. The beach was relatively wide and dune 

 erosion was minimal. There were localized areas of more severe beach erosion 

 which correlated with depressions (holes) in tha nearshore bar system. 



North of the inlet at Nauset Spit-Eastham, the berm was removed as the 

 convex beach profile was flattened. The dunes were vertically scarped on the 

 6eaward face, and there was a concentrated surface layer of heavy minerals at 

 the toe of the eroding dune. At washover flats just north of Nauset Inlet, 

 small, incipient dunes were completely eliminated. Larger, more extensive 

 dunes were severely eroded, and the inlet channel appeared to be widened and 

 displaced northward. Nauset Spit-Easthas eroded much more than North Beach 

 during this storm. 



32 



