Impacts of Navigation Channel Maintenance Dredging on the Coastal Processes of Chatham, Massachusetts
Abstract
During an extratropical storm on 2 January 1987, a breach formed in a barrier spit opposite the Town of Chatham on the southeast comer of Cape Cod, MA. An inlet rapidly developed at the site of the breach from wave action and tidal currents. Typical inlet morphology developed at this new inlet, including a large ebb shoal and swash platform and a single main ebb channel on the ocean side. In the narrow elongate bay, a north and south flood tidal shoal developed over remnant sand shoals. Over time, the inlet throat widened as the adjacent barrier spits recurved back into the bay. Navigation through this quickly evolving inlet system became difficult with channel shoaling and migration. Dredging of parts of the navigation channel has been undertaken since 1989 to maintain an opening for commercial fishing and U.S. Coast Guard interests between the Atlantic Ocean and the Fish Pier. This dredging removed only a minimal volume of the material, and has had little impact on the large dynamic system. Inlet morphology evolution include the welding of the South Beach to the mainland beach, closing off south Chatham Harbor and returning the system to a single inlet system in 1992. By 1995, a north ebb channel had formed creating a two-ebb channel inlet. Major changes have occurred in the entrance channel and anchorage area of Aunt Lydia's Cove. The growth and migration of the north flood shoal has changed this channel configuration which has required several dredging events to maintain navigation to the Fish Pier.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA400385
Entities
People
- Donald K. Stauble
Organizations
- Engineer Research and Development Center