1 Introduction 



Ponce de Leon Inlet Field Study 



The Coastal Inlets Research Program (CIRP) was initiated in 1993 by the U.S. Army 

 Engineer Waterways Experiment Station (WES) of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 

 (USACE) as the first comprehensive program to study inlet behavior since the General 

 Investigation of Tidal Inlets Program of the 1970's. The Inlet Field Investigations work 

 unit within CIRP was tasked with choosing an initial inlet for field study. Careful 

 planning was required to balance limited resources with investigator needs. Both technical 

 and operational characteristics of candidate inlets from around the country were evaluated. 

 Criteria for selection included such factors as the availability of historical data sets, 

 engineering problems at the inlet, and suitability of the inlet for field measurements and for 

 physical model studies. At the time of the selection process, a physical model study of 

 Ponce de Leon Inlet was underway at WES (Harkins, Puckette, and Dorrell 1997). As a 

 result of the lengthy selection process, Ponce de Leon Inlet was recommended and 

 approved as the initial CIRP field study site. 



The long-term comprehensive monitoring program at Ponce de Leon Inlet began in 

 September 1995, and ran through October 1997. The data collection consisted of 

 multiple gauge sites to collect data on wave height, wave period, wave direction, water 

 level, current velocity, and wind velocity. Additional data were provided through 

 bathymetry surveys, the collection of sediment samples, and inlet monitoring with 

 video imagery and aerial photography. 



Location 



Ponce de Leon Inlet is located along the east coast of Florida at Latitude 29 o 05"N, 

 Longitude 80°55'W. The inlet is in Volusia County approximately 20 km south of 

 Daytona Beach, 75 km northeast of Orlando, and 80 km north-northwest of Cape 

 Canaveral. The inlet connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Halifax and Indian Rivers, both 

 of which join the Intracoastal Waterway. Ponce de Leon Inlet is the only inlet to drain the 

 Halifax River Lagoon to the north and is the principal inlet for the Indian River to the 

 south. Rockhouse Creek is a short channel to the dredged Intracoastal Waterway bypass 

 to the west. The location of the inlet and a site map are shown in Figures 1 and 2, 

 respectively. 



Chapter 1 Introduction 



