Book Description

The objectives of the work were twofold: to relate the beach dynamics to the overall morphology of the Smith River Plain, the region in which the beach is situated, and to develop techniques to accomplish the study. The Smith River Plain is a lowland segment of the Klamath Mountains Province. The structure of the Plain is controlled by diastrophism. The general configuration of the Plain is controlled by location, orientation, and exposure of bedrock. To conduct the study within the scope of the project necessitated the selection of several key sites and the utilization of specialized sampling techniques for seasonal profiling and for short, intensive study. South Beach is an arcuate beach, about four miles in length, composed principally of medium to fine grained sands. The beach reflects only minor seasonal or tidal variability, and its configuration is controlled by its exposure to wave forces by local geomorphology.