Beach And Inlet Conditions PDF Download

Monitoring of tide and wave generated processes and adjacent to Matanzas Inlet, Florida was conducted during the summer of 1978. Data collected include weather parameters, wave and longshore current measurements, tidal currents and morphology of the inlet and adjacent beach and nearshore area. Measurements were made in a time-series mode in order to provide desired input for anticipated modeling of inlet mouth dynamics. Related concurrent projects included drogue studies of tidal currents, sediment transport, bedforms and sediment texture in the inlet. Weather conditions during the study period were typical of summer conditions on the east coast of Florida. Interactions of tidal inlet processes with open coast processes are significant but restricted to only a few hundred meters of coast adjacent to the inlet. Longshore currents act alternately as a reinforcement and as a hindrance to flow as tides flood and ebb. During flood tides flow on the upcurrent side of the inlet is reinforced and the downcurrent side is hindered. Ebb currents produce the opposite effect on the longshore currents. Beyond the terminal lobe of the ebb tidal delta there is little effect of tidal currents on coastal processes. Inlet morphology is an extremely important influence on tidal processes. During flood conditions flow is controlled by channels until shoals are submerged at which time flow is determined primarily by overall inlet shape.