|
Vic;
Not enough sediment (sand sized) to form significant structure there it is likely some is just offshore and will return, some was lost to longshore transport (to the east) and some is just too far offshore to get back... There is a long term erosion rate there of ~1ft/yr, but that only an average we all know the erosion happens during storms, the 1ft a year represents the amount lost offshore or alongshore that isnt coming back...
; very few beaches in RI can maintain bars (Misquamicut)..
This has been going on for most of the winter, and really got started with the first big storm in early march, it just now is getting press because Memorial Day is approaching... the "mud" and boulders are glacial deposits (a big delta) tha formed when the ice was retreating, melting and stoppped at the Charlestown Moraine (the big hill parallel to rte 1) The real dark organic stuff ontop is the mantle or loes, which is wind blown silt during the dry periods, when the rivers wern't flowing... looks ugly as hell, but it's what underlys most of the beaches on the S-Shore, some of it is just at a higher elevation that others....
They are going to try some things to fix it; I may be indirectly involved, I'll keep you guys up to date as I can... but it is some damn good geology... walk west of the Pavillion and look at the scarp near willow beach club, the gravels you see were river deposited ~20,000 years ago, and while I think that is pretty damn cool, it doesnt sell beach passes....
Bryan
"Ranting and Raving Geologist"
|