Do Large Winter Storms Erode or Construct Beaches?
Observations in Southern Monterey Bay, CA –> Start | Author Index 122-12 Do Large Winter Storms Erode or Construct Beaches? Observations in Southern Monterey Bay, CA Sunday, 5 October 2008: 10:45 AM George R. Brown Convention Center, 320DE Douglas P. Smith, Science & Environmental Policy, California State Univ. Monterey Bay, Seaside, CA and Brian Spear, Division of Science & Environmental Policy, CSU-Monterey Bay, Seaside, CA Southern Monterey Bay receives most of its beach sand from sea cliff retreat that occurs sporadically during high surf conditions. Serial aerial photography indicates that coastal retreat in southern Monterey Bay ranges from 0 m/a to 2 m/a, with the maximum value located along the tall sea cliffs of former Fort Ord (Fort Ord Dunes State Park). On January 5, 2008, a winter storm brought 6.5 cm of rain, 80 km/h winds, and 10 m swells to Fort Ord Dunes State Park. Early morning high tide (1.5 m) brought the pounding surf to the toe of the sea cliff initiating a two-
