Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of erosion control structures along a portion of the northern Chesapeake Bay shoreline

  • Published:
Environmental Geology

Abstract

A 6.500-meter reach of western Chesapeake Bay shoreline (lower Mayo Peninsula) lost about 1.1×106 cubic meters of sediment (equivalent to 170 cubic meters lost per meter of shoreline) between 1846 and 1932, when the first aerial photographs show the shoreline already substantially protected by a system of groins and intermittent bulkheading. These structures have eliminated the fastland as a source of erodable material, and have starved the supply of sand for littoral drift, thus limiting the extent of the beaches to the remaining groin fields.

Volumes of sediment involved in these impacts are small in the overall sediment budget. Bulkheads produce no deficit in the budget since scouring of the beaches on their seaward sides makes up for the decreased erosion of protected fastland. Groins trap little of the potential littoral drift (computed to be about 104 cubic meters per meter of shoreline per year). The sand supply in the remaining beaches is nearly equivalent to the annual loss of sediment from the entire shoreline system due to the long-term rate of erosion of the shoreline and nearshore between 1846 and 1932.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References Cited

  • Armon, J. W., and S. B. McCann, 1977, Longshore sediment transport and a sediment budget for the Malpeque barrier system, southern Gulf of St. Lawrence: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 14, no. 11, p. 2429–2439.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bayley, Suzanne, Vernon D. Stotts, Paul F. Springer, and John Steenis, 1978, Changes in the submerged aquatic macrophyte populations at the head of Chesapeake Bay, 1958–1975: Estuaries v. 1, no. 3, p. 73–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Biggs, R. B., 1970, Sources and distribution of suspenden sediment in northern Chesapeake Bay: Marine Geology, v. 9 p. 187–201.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Byrne, Robert J., 1979, Shoreline surveys, in: Queen, William H., ed., Physical alterations of coastal shorelines: an analysis a Chesapeake Bay Shore Zone development and regulation Annapolis, Md., Chesapeake Research Consortium, Pub. no 64, p. 71–99.

  • Correll, David L., Jack W. Pierce, and Tung L. Wu, 1978 Herbicides and submerged plants in Chesapeake Bay: Coasta Zone '78, Proceedings of the Symposium on Technical Environmental, Socioeconomic and Regulatory Aspects a Coastal Zone Management, A.S.C.E., San Francisco, Mar. 14 16, 1978, p. 858–877.

  • Curray, Joseph R., 1965, Late Quaternary History, Continenta Shelves of the United States, in: Wright, H. E., Jr., and Davis G.Frey, eds., The Quaternary of the United States: Princeton N.J., Princeton University Press, p. 723–735.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dean, R. G., and M. Perlin, 1977, Coastal engineering study a Ocean City Inlet, Maryland: Coastal Sediments '77, Proceedings of Fifth Symposium of the Waterway, Port, Coasta and Ocean Div., A.S.C.E., Charleston, S.C., Nov. 2–4, 1977, p 520–542.

  • Galvin, Cyril J., Jr., 1974, Littoral Processes: GSA-NE Section Short Course Lecture Notes, Mar. 20, 1974, Baltimore Hilton Hotel, Baltimore, 44 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glaser John D., 1976. Geological Map of Anne Arunde County: Baltimore, Maryland Geological Survey, The John Hopkins University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gross, M. G., M. Karweit, W. B. Cronin, and J. R. Schubel, 1978. Suspended sediment discharge of the Susquehanna River to northern Chesapeake Bay, 1966 to 1976. Estuaries, v. 1, no. 2 p. 106–111.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hack, John T., 1957, Submerged river valley system a Chesapeake Bay: Bulletin of the Geological Survey a America, v. 68, p. 817–830.

    Google Scholar 

  • Halka, J. P., R. D. Conkwright, R. T. Kerhin, and D. V. Wells 1980., The Rapid Sediment Analyzer—an instrument for sedimentological research in Maryland waters: Maryland Geological Survey Information Circular (in press).

  • Hicks, Steacy D., 1972. On the classification and trends of long period sea level series. Shore and Beach v. 40, no. 1, p. 20–23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hunter, J. F., 1914, Erosion and sedimentation in Chesapeake Bay around the mouth of Choptank River: U.S.G.S. Professional Paper 90-B 15 pp.

  • Inglis, Sir Claude Cavendish, and Friedrich J. Kestner, 1958 The long-term effects of training walls, reclamation, and dredging on estuaries: Proceedings, The Institution of Civi Engineers, London, Mar., 1958 paper no. 6268, p. 193–217.

  • Inman, D. L., 1957, Wave Generated Ripples in Nearshore Sands: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Beach Erosion Board Tech. Memo no. 100, 63 pp.

  • Jordan, G. E., 1961, Erosion and sedimentation, eastern Chesapeake Bay at the Choptank River: U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey Technical Bull. no. 16, 8 pp.

  • Keeley, J. R., and A. J. Bowen, 1977, Longshore variations in longshore currents. Canadian Journal of Earth Science, v. 14, p. 1897–1905.

    Google Scholar 

  • King, Cuchlaine A., 1972, Beaches and Coasts: New York, St. Martin's Press, Inc., 570 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maryland Coastal Zone Management Program, 1975, Atlas of Historical Shorelines and Erosion Rates, 4 vols.: Annapolis, Maryland, Department of Natural Resources.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maryland Coastal Zone Management Program, 1976, Atlas of Shoreline Structures In Maryland, their location and extent, 4 vols: Annapolis, Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mock, Cornelius R., 1966, Natural and altered estuarine habitats of Penaeid Shrimp, in: Higman, James B., ed., Proceedings of the 19th Gulf and Carribean Fisheries Institute, New Orleans, Nov. 1966; Miami, University of Miami Institute of Marine Sciences Publ., p. 86–98.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morton, R. A., 1979. Temporal and spatial variations in shoreline changes and their implications, examples from the Texas Gulf coast: Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, v. 49, p. 1101–1112.

    Google Scholar 

  • Palmer, Harold D., 1973. Shoreline erosion in upper Chesapeake Bay: the role of groundwater: Shore and Beach, Oct., 1973, v. 41, no. 2, p. 1–5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Price, W. Armstrong, 1971, Environmental Impact of Padre Isles Development: Shore and Beach, Oct., 1973, v. 39, no. 2, p. 4–10.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reineck, H. E., and T. B. Singh, 1973, Depositional sedimentary environments: New York, Springer-Verlag, 439 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosen, Peter S., 1977. Increasing shoreline erosion rates with decreasing tidal range in the Virginia Chesapeake Bay: Chesapeake Science, v. 18, no 4, p. 383–386.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosen, Peter S., 1980. Erosion susceptibility of the Virginia Chesapeake Bay shoreline: Marine Geology, v. 34, p. 45–59.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schubel, J. R., 1968, Shore erosion of the northern Chesapeake Bay: Shore and Beach, v. 36, no. 1, p. 22–26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schubel, J. R., 1971, Estuarine environment—estuaries and estuarine sedimentation: Washington, D.C., American Geological Institute, Short Course Lecture Notes, Wye Institute, Oct., 1971.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schubel, J. R., H. H. Carter E. W. Scheimer, and R. C. Whaley, 1972. A case study of littoral drift based on long-term patterns of erosion and deposition: Chesapeake Science, v. 13, no. 2, p. 80–86.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schubel, J. R., 1977, Geology, in: Carter, H. H., ed., An environmental study of the Chesapeake Bay Village development: Baltimore, The Johns Hopkins University, Chesapeake Bay Institute Open File Report no. 8, p. III1-III46.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schultz, Leonard P., and Wallace Ashby, 1967, An analysis of an attempt to control beach erosion in Chesapeake Bay at Scientists' Cliffs Calvert County, Maryland: Chesapeake Science, v. 9, no. 4, p. 237–252.

    Google Scholar 

  • Singewald, Joseph T., and Turbit H. Slaughter, 1949, Shore erosion in Tidewater Maryland: Annapolis, Maryland Department of Geology, Mines and Water Resources, Bulletin no. 6, 141 pp.

  • Slaughter, Turbit H., 1967, Beach diminution and bottom scour in front of vertical protective structures in the Maryland Chesapeake Bay: Shore and Beach, Oct., 1967.

  • Stauble, D. K., and D. A. Warnke, 1974. The bathymetry and sedimentation of Cape San Blas shoals and shelf off St. Joseph Spit, Florida: Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, v. 44, no. 4, p. 1037–1051.

    Google Scholar 

  • Swift, Donald J. P., 1973. Delaware Shelf Valley: estuary retreat path, not drowned river valley: Bulletin of the Geological Society of America, v. 84, p. 2743–2748.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swift, Donald J. P., John McHone, Barry Holliday, Harold Palmer, and Gerald Shideler, 1977, Holocene evolution of the inner shelf of southern Virginia: Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, v. 47, no. 4, p. 1454–1474.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trent, W. L., E. J. Pullen, and D. Moore, 1972, Waterfront housing developments: their effect on the ecology of a Texas estuarine area, in: Ruivo, Mario, ed., Marine Pollution and Sea Life: England, Fishing Books Ltd., p. 411–416.

    Google Scholar 

  • U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1973, Shore Protection Manual: U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, 3 vols. Coastal Engineering Research Center, Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

    Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1977, Chesapeake Bay Future Conditions Report, Baltimore District, Maryland, v. 8: Navigation, Flood Control, and Shoreline Erosion.

  • Woodburn, Kenneth D., 1961, Biological survey of North Lake Worth (Palm Beach Country) with special reference to bulkhead lines: Florida, State Board of Conservation, Marine Laboratory, Bayboro Harbor, St. Petersburg, 15 pp.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Coastal Zone Management Program, Tawes State Office Building C-2, Annapolis, Maryland

    Christopher F. Zabawa

  2. Maryland Department of Natural Resources Geological Survey, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland

    Randall T. Kerhin

  3. Coastal Ecology Lab Center for Wetland Resources, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

    Suzanne Bayley

Authors
  1. Christopher F. Zabawa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Randall T. Kerhin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Suzanne Bayley
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zabawa, C.F., Kerhin, R.T. & Bayley, S. Effects of erosion control structures along a portion of the northern Chesapeake Bay shoreline. Geo 3, 201–211 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02473504

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02473504

Keywords

Search

Navigation