1 Introduction 



This chapter gives an orientation to the study site, problem statement, discus- 

 sion of units of measurement employed in this report, and the organization of the 

 report. 



Overview of Study Site 



The Borough of Monmouth Beach Hes on the northern coast of New Jersey, 

 approximately 5 miles' south of the entrance to Sandy Hook (Figure 1). 

 Monmouth Beach is located in Section I of the Atlantic Coast of New Jersey 

 Sandy Hook to Barnegat Inlet Beach Erosion Control Project, as described in the 

 General Design Memorandum (GDM) prepared by the U.S. Army Engineer 

 District, New York (New York District) (New York District 1989). An approxi- 

 mately 2,600-ft-long section of Monmouth Beach is eroding at a greater than 

 anticipated rate. The seawall is becoming exposed, and the design objective of a 

 6-year nourishment interval is not being achieved. 



The GDM (New York District 1989). Kraus et al. (1988), and Kraus, 

 Cravens, and Mark (1988) review the geological structure and coastal processes 

 acting along this coast with references made to the available literature. The 

 barrier-spit shore along the Boroughs of Sea Bright and Monmouth Beach is 

 heavily developed and fronted by seawalls and numerous types of groins. The 

 width of the spit in this area varies from approximately 300 to 1.200 ft, and the 

 elevation of the backland varies between approximately 3 and 12 ft referenced to 

 mean low water (mlw). The median grain size of sediments on the nearshore 

 beach profile on the north New Jersey shore was found to remain constant, at 

 0.33 mm from samples collected in 1953 and 0.30 mm for samples collected in 

 1985. 



The longshore sand transport rate along the northern coast of New Jersey is 

 greatly influenced by wave sheltering in the Atlantic Ocean because of the land- 

 masses located to the north, notably, by Long Island, New York. As a result, 

 Caldwell (1966) concluded that there was a regional divergent nodal area of 

 transport located in the vicinity of Mantoloking, with predominant net transport 

 directed to the north northward of this area and directed to the south southward of 

 the area. With distance north of Mantoloking, the net longshore transport rate 



' A table of factors for converting non-SI units of measure to SI units is found on page viii. 

 Chapter 1 Introduction 



