[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]








                                    South Carolina's Annual
                                 State of the Beaches Report
                                                 April 1998























                                  SC Department of Health and Environinental Control
                                  Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management

          GB
          459.4
          .S68
          1998



















































                                                 DHEC-OCRM

                                         1362 McMillan Ave., Suite 400

                                             Charleston, SC 29405


   Oko                                           (803) 744-5838
   IQS-


             This report was prepared by the staff of the South Carolina Department of Health and
             Environmental Control, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management. Funding
   '4-       for beach monitoring was provided by a grant from the U.S. Geological Survey. For
             additional information or copies of this report, contact Bill Eiser, staff oceanographer.












                  Introduction



                          The following report summarizes changes to South Carolina's beaches within the
                  past year. The results are based on beach profile surveys conducted in the spring and(fall
                  of 1997 at approximately 400 monitoring stations throughout the state. Surveys start at a
                  benchmark located landward of the primary dune or seawall, and continue down the
                  beach face to a depth 5 feet below mean sea level, or about waist deep at low tide. The
                  actual elevat ion used for the surveys, and all elevations referenced in this report, is the
                  National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD 29), which is approximately the same
                  as mean sea level. The resulting profile shows a cross-section of the beach shape at the
                  time of the survey. Multiple dates can be compared to determine what changes have
                  occurred to the beach profile over time.

                          Profiles are analyzed for dune erosion or scarping, changes in beach slope, and
                  changes in unit-width sand volume, the amount of sand from the dune to the -5 foot
                  contour, per linear foot of shoreline. This sand volume is expressed as cubic yards per
                  linear foot of beach. The presence or absence of a berm, the shelf of dry sand between
                  the dune and the high-water mark, is noted, as well as any sand bars and corresponding
                  troughs, which are'commonly referred to as ridge and runnel systems. Berm width is
                  particularly important, since it represents the amount of recreational dry-sand beach
                  available at high tide. Most beaches in South Carolina go through a yearly cycle of
                  profile change. In the summer, smaller waves tend to push sand up the beach, forming a
                  wider berm and a steeper beach slope below mean high water. In the winter, higher
                  energy waves erode sand from the berm and move it to an offshore bar, resulting in a
                  narrower high-tide beach and a more gently sloping beach below mean high water. In
                  many cases this seasonal profile variation is greater in magnitude than the long-term trend
                  for a particular island or beach-that is, the change observed from October to April and
                  then from April back to October can be greater than the change observed for subsequent
                  Octobers or consecutive Aprils.









                            As called for under the Beachfront Management Act, all beaches in the stat@ have
                     been classified as standard zones or inlet zones. Inlet zones are regions in close
                     proximity to a tidal inlet, where the presence of the inlet plays a dominant role in erosion
                     or accretion patterns on the beach. Most inlet zones are unstabilized, meaning the inlet
                     channel is not anchored by jetties or groins, and the surrounding shoreline is often quite
                     dynamic. On the location maps that appear in this report, standard zones are designated
                     as "S", unstabilized inlet zones as "Iu", and stabilized inlet zones as "Is". In general, the

                     sea islands in the Charleston and Beaufort area consist of a standard zone in the central

                     portion of the island, and an inlet zone at either end. In the Grand Strand, the shoreline is
                     a continuous standard zone, interrupted by small inlet zones at the swashes.

                            1997 was a fairly mild year for the beaches of South Carolina, primarily due to the
                     uneventful hurricane season. Unlike 1996, when four storms passed clos'e enough to
                     South Carolina to cause beach erosion, no hurricane or tropical storm affected the coast in
                     1997. The greatest changes to the state's beaches were man-made, as major
                     renouri shment proj ects were -constructed in North Myrtle B each, Myrtle B each, and
                     Hilton Head Island.


                            The remainder of this report contains individual summaries for each island or
                     beach in the state surveyed during the past year. Summaries are presented in a south-to-
                     north progression, from Daufuskie Island to Waites Island. The geographic, setting of
                     each beach is discussed, along with any significant long-term trends. A typical beach
                     profile plot is provided, with a location map showing survey monument locations.
                     Finally, a state-wide summary is found at the end of the report.






















                                        COOPER
                                        RIVER
                                                                        CALIBOGUE
                                                                          SOUND
                                                                Ak
                                                                 I



                  Aii1w




                                                        340









                          MWEN
                           CRUK
                                           Iu










                                        Daufuskie Island










                     Daufuskie Island




                            Daufuskie Island is located to the south of Hilton Head Island, between Calibogue
                     Sound to the northeast and Mungen Creek to the southwest. The entire island has been
                     classified as an unstabilized inlet zone. Long-term erosion rates on the island average -4
                     to -5 feet per year, with the highest rates of -10 to -I I feet per year found at the southern
                     end of the Melrose Tract and the northern end of the Oakridge Tract.

                            Beach surveys on Daufuskie Island date back to January 1988 at some stations.
                     Most recent data was collected in June and October 1997. During the past year, most
                     stations south of the bulkhead in the Bloody Point tract continued to experience a
                     moderate loss of sand from the intertidal beach profile, but uncharacteristically most also
                     showed little or no upper beach scarp line erosion. Using the +5 foot contour as a
                     measure of scarp line position, station 1210 accreted by 17 feet, station 1220 eroded back
                     16 feet, station 1230 accreted by 10 feet, station 1240 accreted by 9 feet, and station 1250
                     accreted by 43 feet. In the Oakridge tract, closer to the bulkhead, station 1260 eroded
                     back 31 feet, and station 1300 accreted by 18 feet.

                            Along the Melrose bulkhead at station 1320 the beach dropped 3 feet, exposing 12

                     feet of the bulkhead from the crest at +10 feet to the toe at -2 feet. Station 1340 showed

                     littl e change at the base of the wall. North of the bulkhead, station 1360 also showed
                     only minor fluctuations during the past year. Prior to 1997, station 1380 had not been
                     surveyed since May 1995. In the two and a half years since, the upper beach scarped
                     back by 30 feet. Station 1390 had also not been surveyed since May 1995, but in this
                     case the upper beach erosion was not as extreme, only 10 feet, and the intertidal beach
                     profile was quite stable.





            1320 Daufuskie Island
            2000 FT SOUTH OF HOTEL


                                                                               3-10-1997 1320
                                                                               21 -6-1997 1320
                                                                               13-10-1996 1320
        15 -                                                           ------- 28-1 -1988 1320

        C
       0
       4-




         10-








          5-








          0-





       --5- Distance in Feet

           0           100          200         300          400          500          600





















                                                         NO LINES SET




                                                                        PORT
                                                                         ROYAL
                                                                           Sam


                                                                       Iu





                     CALMOM
                       SOLM











              Iu









                                        Hilton Head Island










                   Hilton Head Island



                          Hilton Head Island, located between Calibogue Sound to the southwest and Port
                   Royal Sound to the northeast, is one of the state's largest barrier islands. Hilton Head
                   Island can be divided into five geomorphologic reaches, which are each discussed below.
                   A beach renourishment project placed 2.5 million cubic yards of sand on the Hilton Head
                   shoreline between May and November 1997. Beach survey data was collected in June

                   and October.


                          The portion of Sea Pines Plantation bordering on Calibogue Sound is an
                   unstabilized inlet zone, subject to the influence of the Sound and out of the renourishment
                   project limits. The long-term shoreline change rate is 2 to 5 feet per year of accretion.
                   SCCC monuments 1400-1409 are located here. During 1997, station 1400 was slightly
                   accretional, reversing an erosional trend which had been continuing for several years.
                   Station 1403 lost a small amount of sand from the upper beach, while station 1406 lost
                   sand on the lower beach. Net volume changes were only a few cubic yards. Station 1409
                   was essentially unchanged.

                          The next zone on Hilton Head is a 10 mile-long standard zone which extends from
                   station 1412 in Sea Pines Plantation to station 1469, just south of the Folly. This area
                   includes South Forest Beach, North Forest Beach, and Palmetto Dunes. Both North
                   Forest Beach and Palmetto Dunes were included in the renourishment project, which
                   began at the Hilton Head hin. Long-term shoreline change rates vary in this zone--they
                   are accretional south of Coligny Circle and erosional north of Coligny Circle, with the
                   rate of erosion increasing with distance from the Circle. Most stations in Sea Pines,
                   monuments 1412 through 1424, showed moderate accretion. Station 1412 gained 9 cubic
                   yards, mostly along the upper beach, while station 1415 was virtually unchanged. The
                   profile at 1417 gained 19 cubic yards, while 1418 showed only a minor 3 cubic yard gain.
                   Monument 1421 at Laughing Gull Drive was the only Sea Pines station to show
                   significant erosion, losing 19 cubic yards of sand. Station 1424 gained 9 yards. Stations
                   in South Forest Beach all experienced minor seasonal changes. The largest sand gain
                   occurred at station 1436, where volume increased by 9 cubic yards.









                            In North Forest Beach and Palmetto Dunes, long-term erosion rates are higher and
                     unit-width sand volumes were lower prior to renourishment, but increased dramatically
                     following renourishment in late summer and fall. From October 1996 to June- 1997, prior
                     to renourishment, this region experienced only moderate seasonal erosion during a fairly
                     mild winter season. From June to October 1997, profile widths increased by an average
                     of 200 feet as a result of the renourishment project. Data collected in the spring of 1998
                     and during subsequent surveys will document the fate of this renourishment sand.

                            The third zone on Hilton Head is a 2200-foot long unstabilized inlet zone, located
                     on either side of the Folly. Stations 1468, 1469 and 1472 are the monitoring stations in
                     this reach, which historically can be very.dynamic because of the inlet channel. While no
                     renourishment sand was placed within several hundred feet of the Folly channel, the 1997
                     renourishment project shifted the beach profile 100 feet seaward on Singleton Beach, at
                     stations 1468 and 1469. Station 1472 on the Burkes Beach side is close enough to the
                     Folly that no renourishment sand was placed here, and the beach profile showed only
                     moderate, natural changes. -

                            The fourth zone is a 1.3 mile-long standard zone that extends from just north of
                     Burke's Beach Road to the Westin Hotel and includes stations 1474 through 1478. All 4
                     stations here were renourished prior to the spring surveys, and show an.average seaward
                     shift of 130 feet from October 1996 to June 1997. It is interesting to note that the
                     October 1997 surveys  show virtually no loss of renourishment sand.

                            The fifth zone is an unstabilized inlet zone which includes all of the Port Royal
                     Plantation shoreline. Survey stations 1481 through 1496 are located here. This region
                     shows two distinct shoreline trends, with long-term accretion along the Atlantic shoreline
                     to station 1484, and long-term erosion of nearly -6 feet per year along Port Royal Sound.
                     Stations 1481 and 1884 were not included in the renourishment project but still show a
                     gain of sand, as a continuation of the long-term trend. Stations 1487 and 1490, the first
                     stations on the Port Royal Sound shoreline, gained 150 feet of beach width from

                     renourishment. Station 1493 at Fort Walker Park was not renourished and lost over 50

                     feet of beach from October 1996 to June 1997.





            1454 Hilton Head Island
            TOP OF DUNES SE OF MARINERS INN

                                                                              23-11-1997 1454
                                                                              3-5-1997 1454
                                                                              14-10-1996 1454
      L-L 15 -                                                        ------- 10-11-1988 1454


      0













          5-





          0-                           :Z4





       -5- Distance   in Feet


           0           100         200          300         400          500          600
































                                                                                FRIPP
                                                                                  INLET



                                                                                  ol




                                                                          Is

           SKULL                                                        Oct
            INLET
                       Iu








                                             Fripp Island








                   Fripp Island


                          Fripp Island is a three mile long barrier island located between Pritchards Island
                   and Skull Inlet to the southwest, and Hunting Island and Fripp Inlet to the northeast.
                   Development on the island is primarily single family residential, and the island is almost
                   continuously armored with revetments. The central portion of the island is classified as a
                   standard zone, with an unstabilized inlet zone at the southwest end and a stabilized inlet
                   zone at the northeast end. An analysis of long-term erosion trends has shown the island
                   to be stable, although sand-bypassing events across Fripp Inlet, with a period of decades,
                   can cause significant changes to the beach profiles on the island.

                          There are 15 beach survey monuments located on Fripp Island, some of them
                   dating back to 1988. Profile data was collected in June and October 1997. Station 1700,
                   on Skull Inlet, is sheltered from the open ocean and shows virtually no change from year
                   to year. Stations 1715 and 1720, located at the southern end of the island, both showed a
                   2-3 -ft. drop in beach elevation at the toe of the revetment from September 1996 to June
                   1997, but then a corresponding gain from June to October 1997, for virtually no net
                   change. Stations 1730 and 1735 showed moderate sand gains at the base of the
                   revetment, with an increase in unit-width sand volume of 7 cubic yards. There is still no
                   dry-sand beach along this southern section of Fripp Island.

                          Sand volume gains increase towards the north. Station 1745 on Winter Trout Rd.
                   gained 14 cubic yards, and station 1750 on Seahorse Drive gained 36 cubic yards, as
                   portions of the upper beach increased in height by over 4 feet. The beach width seaward
                   of the revetment begins to increase by several hundred feet here. At station 1755, near
                   Drum St., the sand volume increase was a more modest 13 cubic yards per foot. Station
                   1760, at #763 Marlin Drive, actually lost 16 cubic yards of sand but still retains over 250
                   cubic yards seaward of the revetment. Station 1765, at #785 Marlin Drive, lost sand from
                   the intertidal beach but gained an equivalent volume farther offshore. Station 1775, at the
                   end of Marlin Drive, experienced the most dramatic change on the island, losing 95 cubic
                   yards of sand along the entire profile. The last two stations fronting the Atlantic Ocean,
                   1780 and 1790, were fairly stable during 1997, while stations 1795 and 1798, on Fripp
                   Inlet, are steep inlet profiles that showed only minor changes during the past year.






            1750 F     p Island
                          RIVE
            SEAHORS D


                                                                               3-10-1997 1750
                                                                               2-6-1997 1750
                                                                               5-11 -1996 1750
                                                                       ------- 8-6-1989 1750
        15 -


       0

       .0
        >



         10-








          5-








          0-

                            ----------




       --5- Distance in Feet
                  I     I      I     I     I      I     I      I   , 1    7
           0           100          200         300          400          500          600











                                          JOHNSON          leis  Is
                                           CREEK


                                                         1820


                                                         30


                                                         0

                                                    ON   S
                                                  Soo


                                                 78







                          FRIPP
                          INLET
                                           IU








                                        Hunting Island









                     Hunting1sland


                            Hunting Island is a state park located between Fripp Island and Harbor Island.
                     The island has historically been strongly erosional, with long-term rates ranging from -7
                     to - 15 feet per year. The central portion of the island is a standard zone, while the
                     southern end along Fripp Inlet is an unstabilized inlet zone and the northern end along St.
                     Helena Sound is an inlet zone stabilized by an 800-foot terminal groin. Hunting Island
                     has been renourished several times in the past 20 years, most recently in March 199 1.

                            The 11 beach monitoring stations on Hunting Island are unique within the state in
                     that the identification numbers increase from north to south. Surveys during 1997 were
                     conducted in May and September. Station 1800, at the northern end of the island, is the
                     most stable station on Hunting Island and was virtually unchanged during 1997. At
                     station 1810 the primary dune remained stable and the active beach profile gained 6 cubic
                     yards of sand. Station 1820 showed minor dune erosion and lost 5 cubic yards of sand
                     from the profile.

                            The magnitude of beach erosion began to increase at station 1830, near the
                     lighthouse, which showed increased dune erosion and a loss of 8 cubic yards of sand from
                     the upper and intertidal beach. At station 1840, erosion cut the primary dune back by 42
                     feet and the profile lost 18 cubic yards of sand. Station 1860 experienced comparable
                     dune erosion and sand volume loss. At 1870 the erosion began to lessen, as this station
                     experienced 19 feet of dune scarping but a loss of only 7 cubic yards of sand from the
                     profile. No survey data was collected at station 1880 during 1996, but from May 1997 to
                     September 1997 the beach here was very stable. Prior to the September 1997 survey, the
                     previous survey at station 1890 was collected in May 1996. In the year and a half
                     between surveys the upper beach retreated by 75 feet, as a primary dune with a crest
                     elevation of 13 feet was lost. At station 1895, the southernmost station on Hunting Island,
                     the dune and upper beach were fairly stable during 1997 but the profile below mean low
                     water lost a significant amount of sand from an offshore bar.






          1 840A Huntin Island
         TOP OF DUNR 0.40    MI WEST OF LIGHTHOUSE

      (A                                                     29-9-1997 1840A
                                                             17-5-1997 1840A
                                                             10-12-1996 1840A
                                                      ------- 18-11-1988 1840
      '15-

      C
      0













        5-






        0-              N





      -5- Distance in Feet

         0        100      200       15uu      400       500       600























                                ST. HELENA
                                  SOUND




                                                                     lu
                                                                 ism

                        HARBOR
                         RIVER

                                                                    1909









                                                                 ITLINTIC
                                                  JOHNSON
                                                   CREEK            OCEIN










                                           Harbor Island










                  Harbor Island



                          Harbor Island is located between Hunting Island and Johnson Creek to the
                  southwest and St. Helena Sound to the northeast. Beachfront development is primarily
                  single-family residential, with a few condominium buildings. The entire island is
                  classified as an unstabilized inlet zone, and while the shoreline is very dynamic it is
                  generally accretional in the long term. The beach width decreases from south to north.
                  There are a total of six beach monitoring stations on Harbor Island, f6ur of which were
                  installed in 1988, with the remaining two installed in June 1990. Most recent surveys

                  were conducted here in June and October 1997.


                          Stations 1900 and 1930 are located at the southern end of the island, where the

                  beach is wide and accretional. Station 1900 is located closest to Johnson Creek, and the
                  beach profile here is extremely wide, over 2000 feet. A series oflintertidal sand bars and
                  troughs are constantly shifting back and forth in this area, changing the shape of the
                  profile but having a minimal net effect on total sand volume. During 1997 a migrating
                  sand bar merged onto the upper beach, increasing the berm height by 5 feet, while a

                  second bar formed offshore. Unit-width sand volume increased from 337 to 383 cubic
                  yards here. At station 1930, near the multi-family units, the sand volume dropped from
                  194 to 174 cubic yards due to lower beach erosion. At station 1960, on Harbor Island
                  Drive North, erosion has been extreme in recent years but slowed in 1997. In the year
                  and a half between the two most recent surveys, in May 1996 and October 1997, the dune
                  scarped back I I feet and the 0 foot contour moved 27 feet landward, for a volumetric loss
                  of 11 cubic yards. The lower beach profile was essentially unchanged. Stations 1980 and
                  1995, where the shoreline begins to curve onto St. Helena Sound, showed minor changes
                  but in general were fairly stable during the past year. Station 1998 is located within the
                  lower wave energy environment of the Sound, so that the beach profile falls off fairly
                  rapidly. The upper beach remained stable here, while the intertidal beach accreted some.






           1960A Harbor Island
      11-N -TOP OF DUNES APPROX 1.0 MI FROM SECURITY GATE

      _j
      V)
      m                                                                20-10-1997 1960A
      4@                                                               17-5-1996 1960
                                                                       30-9-1995 1960
       15.-                                                 - -------  19-10-1988 1960


       0





       10-








         5-








         0-








       -5
            Distance in Feet
              I-  I  I   I   I   I  I   I   I  I   I   I   I  I   I   I- I   1 7-71
          0      100    200    300     400    500     600    700     800    900    1000





















                                                                               JEltEMY INLET

                                                                                            2290






                                                                                          C3
                                                                                0



                                                                       98
                                                                    95

              110       BIG SAY CREEK                      pin% S
                                                      M
             2113                                   170
              2115                            so  65
                2=120
                2130                  1.50
        SOUTH                     145
         EDISTO    2135    2140
         RIVER                       Iu






                                             Edisto Beach










                     Edisto Beach




                            Edisto Beach is a barrier island situated between the South Edisto River and

                     Jeremy Inlet. The northeastern portion of Edisto Beach is a state park, which includes
                     camping sites, while the remainder of the island is primarily single-family residential. An
                     extensive groin field on the island serves to stabilize the shoreline position. South of
                     station 2160 (Marianne St.), the island is classified as an unstabilized inlet zone, with a
                     long-term accretion rate of 3 feet per year. The rest of the island, including the state park,
                     is a standard zone with a long-term accretion rate of 0.4 feet per year. There are 27 beach
                     survey monuments on Edisto Beach, which were surveyed in May and September 1997.

                            Stations 2110-2130 are located along the South Edisto Inlet shoreline. These
                     stations are sheltered from the open ocean and during the past year experienced only
                     modest seasonal changes on the intertidal beach. Stations 2135 at Edisto Street and 2140

                     at Billow Street are located on the shoreline curve between South Edisto River and the

                     Atlantic Ocean, a section of beach that can be very dynamic. Station 2135 lost 17 cubic
                     yards of sand last year, while at 2140 the dune eroded back 22 feet.

                            The oceanfront southern half of Edisto Beach, from stations 2145 to 2165, has the
                     widest oceanfront beach on Edisto. Station 2145 on Laroche Street was the only profile
                     to show any significant erosion, a loss of 9 cubic yards of sand over the entire profile.
                     Most other stations here were fairly stable. The northern half of developed Edisto Beach,
                     from station 2170 to station 2200 at the Pavilion, is the most critically eroded section of
                     the island. It is here that houses encroach farthest onto the beach. During the past year,
                     the beach at most stations experienced only minor dune erosion and a moderate loss of
                     sand over the entire profile.

                            Stations 2200 and 2230 are located in the state park at the northeast end of the
                     beach. These two stations also experienced dune erosion and sand volume loss during

                     1997.






            2165 Edisto Island
            THISTLE STREET

       U)
                                                                               16-9-1997 2165
                                                                               10-5-1997 2165
                                                                               27-9-1996 2165
        15 -                                                           ------- 6-6-1990 2165

        C
        0





        10 -








          5-








         0--





       -5-    Distance in Feet

            0          100          200          300         400          500          600




























                                                                              Iu
                          Iu
                                                                                 % t@

                          NORTH
                             EDISTO
                               RIVER














                                              Seabrook Island










                    Seabrook Island




                           Seabrook Island is a barrier island approximately 4 miles long, situated between
                    North Edisto Inlet and Captain Sams Inlet. Development on the island is a mix of single-
                    family and multi-family structures. A continuous 5000-foot section of shoreline is
                    armored with rock revetments and a few seawalls. The entire islandis classified as an
                    inlet zone-the armored portion is a stabilized inlet zone, while the remainder is
                    unstabilized. Shoreline change patterns have been quite dynamic over the past 50 years.
                    There are 11 beach monitoring stations here, which were surveyed during May and
                    September 1997.

                           Station 2515, at Beach Club Villas along the North Edisto River, was quite
                    dynamic during 1997, losing 34 cubic yards of sand from October 1996 through May
                    1997, and then gaining back 41 cubic yards from May to September. Stations 2520
                    through 2540 are located along the revetment. Stations 2520 at the Beach Club gained 10
                    cubic yards of sand at the base of the revetment during the past year, as did station 2525
                    at the boat ramp. Station 2530 on Beach Court also gained 10 cubic yards of sand at the
                    base of the revetment, while station 2540, at Renken Point on Bonita Court, gained 12
                    cubic yards of sand at the base of the revetment.

                           In the North Beach area, from station 2545 to 2575, the high-tide beach averages
                    over 500 feet in width. This area can be very dynamic, and has experienced some erosion
                    during the past several years. At station 2545 on Cobia Court the two most recent
                    surveys were conducted in May 1996 and September 1997. During this 16 month period,
                    the dune field transformed somewhat but the intertidal beach was fairly stable and the
                    high-tide swash line is still 300 feet seaward of the buried rock revetment. At station
                    2555, on Pompano Court, the active beach profile gained 60 cubic yards of sand. Station
                    2565, at Seascape Court, gained a similar volume of sand. At station 2570, on Catesby
                    Bluff, the profile below the 0 foot contour eroded back by several hundred feet, reversing
                    a 1996 trend of tremendous accretion. The profile at station 2575 on Rolling Dunes Road
                    also lost almost one hundred cubic yards of sand during 1997.






             2540      Seabrook Island
             BONITA COURT


                                                                                14-9-1997 2540
       4a                                                                       19-5-1997 2540
       (D
       0)                                                                       13-10-1996 2540
       '-15-                                                            ------- 22-4-1990 2540

       C
       0
       -W
       0



         10-







          5-







          0-





       -5-    Distance in Feet

            0          100          200          300          400          500          600





























                                                                                  STOND
                                                                                        INLET
                                           KIAMAH
                                           RIVER



                                                                        do
                                                                                tA


                                                       W,



             CAPT.
         SAMS INLET
                                                     ATLIN

              Iu














                                               Kiawah Island










                     Kiawah Island



                            Kiawah Island is a ten-mile long barrier island, located between Seabrook Island
                     and Captain Sams Inlet to the west, and Stono Inlet and Folly Beach to the east. Kiawah
                     is one of the most stable barrier islands in the state, although the eastern and western ends
                     of the island are more dynamic due to their proximity to inlets.

                            The 25 beach monitoring stations on Kiawah Island were surveyed in May and
                     November 1997. Stations 2615 through 2645 are located at the western end of Kiawah,
                     where land use consists of undeveloped property, single family homes, and some multi-
                     family structures. Stations 2615 and 2620, closest to Captain Sams Inlet, were the most
                     dynamic during the past year, gaining 13 and 16 cubic yards of sand respectively. Other

                     stations here were more stable.


                            The area from station 2660, near the middle of Eugenia Ave., through station
                     2680, at the eastern end of Windswept Villas, experienced significant erosion in 1995 and
                     1996. During 1997 this trend reversed and most stations gained sand, typically 8 to 12
                     cubic yards. Farther to the northeast most stations gained sand as well. While station
                     2690 lost 5 cubic yards from the intertidal beach in 1997, station 2695 gained 5 cubic
                     yards, 2700 was stable, stations 2705 and 2715 gained 6 yards, and 2720 lost 1 yard.

                            Oceanfront development along the eastern half of Kiawah, from station 2725 to
                     2785, is limited to some single-family structures, a golf course and associated amenities.
                     Beach profile changes here historically have been more dramatic than along the western
                     half of Kiawah, and become more pronounced as proximity to Stono Inlet increases.
                     During the past year stations 2725-2760, from Flyway Drive to the Ocean Course, all
                     experienced moderate seasonal changes, ranging from a gain of 17 cubic yards to a loss
                     of 18 cubic yards.

                            Stations 2775 to 2785 are closest to Stono Inlet and the most dynamic. Station
                     2775 lost 30 cubic yards of sand seaward of the primary dune, while station 2780 lost
                     over 60 yards between November 1995 and November 1997. The profile at 2785 showed
                     only minor seasonal changes on the intertidal beach for the past year.





              2630 Kiawah Island
              0.85 MI SW      FROM EUGENIA AVE BEACH ACCESS
       Ln                                                                              15-11 -1997 2630
       m                                                                               24-5-1997 2630
       -f-d
       Q)                                                                              26-1.0-1996 2630
       0                   11                                                -------   26-8-1988 2630
        15 -


       C
       0

       0
       >


       LLJ  -


        10-








           5-







           0--





        -5- Distance in Feet

            0       100      200      300      400      500      600       70.0     8        900      1000




















                                                                              LIGHTHOUSE
                                                                              INLET












                                        FOLLY
                                        RIVER






            STONO
            INLET




                 iu







                                             Folly Beach









                   Folly Beach


                           Folly Beach is located between Stono Inlet and Lighthouse Inlet. Nearly all of
                   Folly's shoreline is armored and contains groin fields. There are 33 monitoring stations
                   here, which were surveyed by the Corps of Engineers in February and August 1997.
                   These profiles are unique within the statewide data set because they all extend several
                   thousand feet offshore, to depths reaching or exceeding -15 feet.

                           At the western end of  the island in the county park, stations 2803 and 2805
                   continued to experience a trend of significant erosion that began in 1995. The upper
                   beach at both stations scarped back by 50-75 feet between May 1996 and August 1997.
                   Station 28 10, at the park gatehouse, showed only moderate berm erosion from May 1996
                   to February 1997. The rest of the profiles on the western side of the island, from station
                   2813 near the end of Ashley Ave. West to station 2825 at 3' Street West, showed no
                   dune scarping and only minor seasonal changes on the intertidal portion of the profile.

                           At station 2828, in front of the Holiday Inn seawall, the profile to -5 feet showed a
                   moderate gain of sand during the past year. Station 2930, which runs alongside the
                   wingwall on the northeast end of the seawall, showed very little change.

                           The next section of beach is the first twelve blocks east of the Holiday Inn, up to
                   the Washout. Stations 2833 to 2855 are located here. While most profiles show
                   considerable changes on the intertidal beach, particularly the lower beach face, the dune
                   and upper beach were stable. The area commonly referred to as the Washout extends
                   from stations 2860 through 2873. The ocean is closest to the road in this section of
                   beach, and there are no residential lots on the seaward side of Ashley Aye. Station 2860,
                   at the 13th Ave. East dune walkover, gained sand on the lower beach, while station 2863,
                   at the last oceanfront lot west of the Washout, experienced a moderate decrease in upper
                   beach width. In the middle of the Washout, stations 2865 and 2867 both gained a
                   significant amount of sand on the lower profile while the upper beach was stable.
                   Located among the first houses east of the Washout, 2873 also showed a net gain of sand

                   on the lower beach.









                     The region east of the Washout, stations 2878-2890, generally experienced growth of the
                     primary sand dune and accretion on the active beach seaward of the dune. At station
                     2878 the primary dune increased in height by four feet. The only station in the region
                     that did not follow this trend was station 2890, where the wading-depth profile seaward
                     of the high-tide swash line was eroded back by over 100 feet.

                            Using the offshore portion of the survey data that is only available at Folly Beach,
                     it is also possible to look at changes in the profile farther seaward than the usual limit of
                     low-tide wading depth. Ahnost all profiles at Folly Beach show offshore accretion
                     between May 1996 and February 1997, and then virtually no change between February
                     and August 1997. In most cases the accretion resulted in a 1-2 foot vertical increase in
                     profile height, at offshore distances of 2000-3000 feet, in water depths of - 12 to - 15 feet.






            2850B FOLLY
            LOCATED AT INTERSECTION        OF EAST ARCTIC AVE. AND 1 OTH ST.

       U)                                                                      21-8-1997  2850B
                                                                               19-2-1997  2850B
                                                                               22-5-1996  2850B
        15 -                                                          -------  11-5-1993  2850B

        C
        0





       Ld  -

         10-







          5-







          0-





          5-  Distance in Feet

           0           100         200          300          400          500          600





























                                                                                              BREACH
                                                                                              INLET




                                                                                              92
                                                                                            ego

                                                                                           as



                                                                                 31D
                                                                       3OW  310


                                                                            Iu


              CHARLESTON         awls     a
              HARBOR
                                    Is










                                               Sullivans Island










                   Suffivans Island




                          Sullivans Island is located between Charleston Harbor and Breach Inlet. The

                   Charleston Harbor north jetty, which comes ashore on Sullivans Island, has caused the
                   long-term shoreline trend to be stable or accretional for much of the island, although
                   periodic shoal attachment at Breach Inlet can cause the shoreline in this region to be quite
                   dynamic. Beach surveys were conducted in May and September of 1997.

                          Survey monuments 3010-3035, between Station 16 and Station 19, are located
                   within the Charleston Harbor northjetty. This area is extremely accretional in the long-
                   term but has been stable to erosional for the past several years. Profiles here showed very
                   little change during 1997.

                          Survey monuments 3050-3080 are located along the center section of Sullivans
                   Island, outside the north jetty. Sand shoals from Breach Inlet periodically attach to the
                   beach here, and while long-tenn trends are accretional the shoreline is quite dynamic. At
                   3065B, near Station 26, a newly forming sand dune has increased in size as the profile
                   gained 15 cubic yards of sand from May to September. At 3080, near Station 28, a sand
                   ridge on the intertidal beach has increased in size and the profile here has also gained 15
                   cubic yards of sand from May to September.

                          Monuments 3083 and 3085 are located in the transition zone between the

                   accretional center section of the island and the erosional northeastern end of the island,
                   along Breach Inlet. The beach profile at 3083, near Station 29 and close to the first groin
                   in the groin field, lost 16 cubic yards of sand below the high-tide swash line as the 0 foot
                   contour moved landward by 50 feet. At 3085, located near Station 30, the upper beach
                   gained I I cubic yards of sand from sand scraping. This section of beach has been the
                   most strongly erosional over the past few years. At 3090, near Station 30, the profile
                   shows evidence of sand scraping from December 1996 to May 1997 but a net loss of 10
                   cubic yards of sand for the year.






            3085B Sullivans Island
            30TH STREET


                                                                               13-9-1997   3085B
                                                                               20-5-1997   30858
                                                                               10-12-1996 3085B
        15 -                                                           ------- 26-5-1990 3085B


       C
       0

       10



         10-







          5-








          0-




       --5- Distance in Feet

           u           100         200          300          400          5QO






















                                                                                        DEVEES
                                                                                        IKXT







                                                                                           dip

                                          AIWW



                                                                                  u





           BREACH
           MET




                  Iu









                                                 Isle of Palms





                                 C- A=.








                   Isle of Palms




                          The Isle of Palms is located between Breach Inlet and Sullivans Island to the

                   south, and Dewees Inlet and Dewees Island to the north. The island is generally
                   accretional, primarily because the downdrift Charleston Harbor jetties interrupt the
                   longshore flow of sand from north to south. There are 22 monitoring stations on the Isle
                   of Palms, which were surveyed in May and October 1997. Stations 3100-3110, from
                   Breach Inlet to 3' Ave., are influenced by the inlet's channels and shoals and are usually
                   more dynamic than the central portion of the island. At 3 100 the profile below the 5 foot
                   contour reversed a 1996 tend and eroded substantially. Near 2  nd Ave. station 3105
                   gained I I cubic yards of sand on the intertidal beach, while 3 110, at YdAve., showed
                   slight accretion.

                          Stations 3115-3157, from 6' Ave. to 50t' Ave., are located along the more stable
                   portion of shoreline in the center of the island. Beach profiles here typically show minor
                   to moderate seasonal variations from year to year, with a few exceptions. During 1997,
                   stations 3115 to 3140, at 3 V Ave., showed a mix of slight accretion to virtually no
                   change, with no predominant trend. At station 3150, near 41" Ave., the beach became
                   more active and the trend became erosional. This station lost 25 cubic yards of sand, all
                   below the 0 foot contour.' Station 3155 was stable but station 3157, at 50' Ave, lost 27
                   cubic yards of sand, also below the 0 foot contour.

                          Beginning at station 3159 near 53rd Ave. and continuing on into Wild Dunes,
                   beach profiles are close enough to Dewees Inlet to be effected by periodic bar bypassing
                   from the inlet shoal complex, and as a result profiles here are more dynamic than the rest
                   of the island. These shoal attachment episodes cause extreme accretion in the area of
                   shoal attachment and severe but localized erosion immediately adjacent to the attachment
                   site. The most recent shoal attachment occurred in the fall of 1996, and beach profiles
                   here are still adjusting in response. Station 3159, at 53dAve., had experienced
                   considerable erosion during 1996 but gained 28 cubic yards of sand over the past year.
                   Station 3160 at 56' Ave. lost 27 cubic yards of sand. Station 3167, at the southwest end
                   of Beachwood East, experienced some of the worst erosion on the southwest side of the






            31 67B Isle of Palms
            BEACHWOOD EAST (SOUTH)

                                                                               1-11-1997 3167B
      4-j                                                                      29-9-1997 31 67B
                                                                               15-9-1997 3167B
        15 -                                                           ------- 21 -5-1990 31 67B


      0





         10-







          5-







          0-







             Distance in Feet


           0      100      200     300     400     500      600     700      800     900     1000
























                                                              CAPERS
                        BULLYARD SOUND                             INLET





                                   HORSEBEND, CREEK













                    DEWEES

                        INLET














                                          Dewees Island










                  Dewees Island


                          I


                          Dewees Island is located between Dewees Inlet to the southwest, and Capers Inlet
                  to the northeast. The island is approximately two miles long, and is classified as an
                  unstabilized inlet zone. The shoreline is very dynamic, with long-term erosion rates of -5
                  to -10 feet per year. There is limited single-family development here. There are 10
                  monitoring stations on Dewees Island, which were surveyed in May and October 1997.

                          Station 3220 is located on top of a bluff along Dewees Inlet. The beach profile
                  lost 35 cubic yards but still contains over 260 cubic yards of sand, as the high-tide swash
                  line is more than 500 feet seaward of the bluff. Station 3230, 1000 feet to the northeast,
                  gained 25 cubic yards of sand, mostly the result of primary dune accretion. The profile at
                  station 3240 gained 52 cubic yards of sand, mostly on the berm and upper intertidal
                  beach. The last station southwest of the dike, 3250, gained 32 cubic yards of sand,
                  mostly on the lower intertidal beach.

                          On the dike at station 3255, the profile sand volume increased by 28 cubic yards.
                  Station 3260 gained sand over most of the profile but experienced erosion below mean
                  low water, for a net volume change of +6 cubic yards. At station 3270, just northeast of
                  the dike, the beach gained 21 cubic yards of sand as a bar moved onto the upper beach but
                  the lower profile experienced an even greater magnitude of erosion. At station 3280, a
                  runnel with a depth of -4 feet separates the beach from a massive sand bar. While the
                  runnel and the beach landward of the runnel showed little change for the year, the
                  offshore sand bar increased in height by 3 feet as the sand coalesced and began to move
                  landward. Station 3290 is the station northeast of the dike and closest to Capers Inlet.
                  Like station 3280, a channel separated the beach from an offshore sand bar. In this case
                  the channel is a marginal flood channel for Capers Inlet, with a depth of -2 feet. Again
                  like station 3280, the beach and channel were fairly stable in 1997 while the bar

                  coalesced and moved farther landward.






         3240 Dewees Island
        -STATION 3240

     _j
     V)
                                                            14-10-1997 3240
     4.j                                                    5-5-1997 3240
                                                            11-10-1996 3240
     '15-                                             ------- 9-7-1991 3240

      C
      0
     4-


      W


       10-








        5-








        0-








      -5-
          Distance in Feet


         0    100   200    300   400   500   600    700   800    900   jonn



























                                                                                PAWLEYS
                                                                                 INLET
                                                                                  Iu
                                          0.                    ripo



                NCMTM
                INLET


                            "00
                      Iu













                                           Debidue Island










                     Debidue Beach




                             Debidue Beach, located between North Inlet and Pawleys Inlet, is the
                     southernmost of the Grand Strand beaches. The central portion of Debidue is armored
                     with a continuous 4500-foot long bulkhead. The area south of the bulkhead has
                     experienced long-term erosion rates of -8 to -12 feet per year, while the area north of the
                     bulkhead is stable to accretional. There are ten survey stations at Debidue, which were
                     surveyed in February and April of 1997 but were not surveyed in the fall of 1997.

                            At monument 4115, the station closest to North Inlet, the upper beach scarped
                     back almost 30 feet between September 1996 and February 1997 but unit-width volume
                     decreased by only 3 cubic yards per foot, as the eroded sand shifted below the mean sea
                     level contour. At 4120 the profile was fairly stable. Station 4125, the last station south
                     of the bulkhead and the first station within Debordieu Colony, experienced 13 feet of
                     dune scarping but a slight volumetric gain. The beach in this area has been periodically
                     scraped, where sand is moved from the lower profile to the upper profile by heavy
                     equipment. At the south end of the bulkhead, station 4130 saw little change from
                     September 1996 through April 1997. Station 4140 is at the northern end of the bulkhead,
                     where the upper beach seaward of the wall increased in height by several feet and the net
                     sand volume gain was 6 cubic yards.

                            Stations 4150-4180 are located north of the bulkhead. This is a mostly
                     undeveloped, accretional area with an extensive dune field. Station 4150, at the northern
                     end of Pioneer Court, showed only minor changes from September 1996 through
                     February 1997. At station 4160 the upper beach accreted by 50 feet, almost exactly
                     offsetting a 1996 episode of berm erosion. The net volume change was an increase of 7
                     cubic yards per foot. Station 4170 experienced minor seasonal changes through April
                     1997. Finally, station 4180, closest to Pawleys Inlet, experienced an increase in sand
                     volume of 23 cubic yards per foot, which partially offset a 1996 sand volume decrease of
                     45 cubic yards per foot.






            41 25C Debidue Beach
              NORTH OF BOARD WALK SOUTH OF EASTLAND WAY


                                                                              20-2-1997 4125C
                                                                              9-9-1996 4125C
                                                                              2-5-1996 4125C
       LL15-                                                          ------- 20-11-1987 4-125

      C





        10-








          5-








          0-





       --5   Distance in Feet

           u        100        200       300       400        500       bUU        700       800














                                                                             /taDWAY
                                                                               INLET






                                                                          Is













                 PAWLEYS
                   INLET











                                            Pawleys Island








                  Pawleys Island


                          Pawleys Island is located between Pawleys Inlet and Midway Inlet. Groin fields
                  on Pawleys have counteracted a slight erosional trend to produce a stable shoreline. The
                  southern portion of Pawleys is low-lying, with little or no sand dunes. The central
                  portion has some of the highest dunes in the state, while the northern, accretional end has
                  a wide field of low dunes. Sixteen monitoring stations were surveyed in February and
                  April of 1997, but were not surveyed in the fall of 1997.

                          For stations 4200-4215, located at the low-lying southern end of Pawleys Island,
                  most profiles experienced moderate erosion. At 4200 the dune scarped back as the profile
                  lost 5 cubic yards per foot of sand. Stations 4203 and 4205 both saw minor erosion along
                  the beach face. Station 4210 was the only profile to show accretion, gaining 8 cubic
                  yards. The lower beach at 4215 lost sand, for a net profile loss of 6 cubic yards per foot.

                          The central portion of Pawleys Island, with a large primary dune, is represented
                  by stations 4220-4280. Most stations here experienced moderate changes to the profile,
                  with a few showing net volume changes larger than are typically seen here. Station 4220
                  lost 38 cubic yards of sand from the entire profile, as a 1996 trend of strong accretion was
                  reversed. Stations 4230 and 4240 both gained 6 cubic yards of sand, mostly on the lower
                  beach. Station 4245 lost 12 cubic yards of sand as a small berm present in September
                  1996 was eroded. Stations 4260 and 4270, north of the south causeway, both experienced
                  only minor seasonal changes. At 4275, near the north causeway, the lower beach profile
                  gained 13 cubic yards per foot of sand. Station 4280 showed the largest increase, gaining
                  26 cubic yards of sand over the entire profile seaward of the dune.

                          Stations closest to Midway Inlet, where the beach is wider and more dynamic,
                  were also active last year. At 4285 the profile accreted by I I cubic yards per foot, while
                  at 4290 the profile lost the same amount of sand. At station 4295 the upper beach
                  seaward of the dune eroded back by almost 150 feet. Corresponding volume gains on -the
                  lower portion of the profile kept the net volume loss to only 27 cubic yards.




            4230B Pawle@s     ',Island
              0.6 MI SOU H ',OF SOUTH CAUSEWAY NORTH OF HOUSE 550

                                                                                20-2-1997 4230B
                                                                                12-9-1996 4230B
                                                                                2-5-1996 4230B
         15-                                                            ------- 8-11-1987 4230






         10-







         5-.







          0-





       --5- Distance in Feet

            6        100       200        300       400        500        bUU       700        Buu

























                                                                            ist
                                                                       Ift
                                           41
                                       I%b C2%                  qqjo



                                                      s          tv*
                                                              %la
                              Vig                       qt@
                                                   v
              MIDWAY                                       - .
              INLET       Iu

      I                                                                                    .j







                                           Litchfield Beach
                                                                                              I























                                                                    MURRELLS
                                                                      MET


                                                                 4S7S
                                                  00

                                                           ss

                                                    SO 4@

                                              35    NO



                                   is
                             see     s








                                      Huntington Beach State Park









                    Litchfield BeachlHuntington Beach State Park



                           Litchfield Beach, North Litchfield, and Huntington Beach State Park represent a
                    continuous, uninterrupted sediment budget compartment. This area is bounded by
                    Midway Inlet to the south, and Murre.lls Inlet to the north. The southern spit at Litchfield
                    is a low-lying area with a small dune field, while the central portion of this reach contains
                    a large, well-defined primary dune, one of the largest in the state. The northern reach, in
                    the state park, is directly influenced by Murrells Inlet and the south inlet jetty. Beach
                    surveys were taken at 18 stations in February.and April 1997, but not in the fall of 1997.

                     -     The long-term shoreline trend is slightly erosional at the southern spit at
                    Litchfield, stable for the remainder of the area. At station 4300, closest to Midway Inlet,
                    the profile volume decreased by 5 cubic yards per foot between September 1996 and
                    April 1997. Stations 4315 and 4330 lost 2 and 4 cubic yards, respectively, over the same
                    time period. Farther north the trend was accretional, as 4360 gained 23 cubic yards, 4400
                    gained 22 cubic yards, 4430 gained 29 cubic yards, 4490 gained 18 cubic yards, and 4495
                    gained 26 cubic yards. For all of these accretional stations, the sand was gained over the
                    entire profile seaward of the primary dune. The only station north of the spit to
                    experience erosion was 4395, which lost 3 cubic yards of sand.

                           In Huntington Beach State Park, station 4500 experienced some berin scarping
                    but gained enough sand on the lower beach to show a net gain of 8 cubic yards. Both
                    station 4515, at Atalaya, and station 4525 gained a substantial amount of sand, 17 and 25
                    cubic yards, respectively. Most of this volume increase came on the intertidal beach and
                    the lower profile. Station 4535 experienced moderate seasonal changes. The largest
                    volume increase occurred at station 4545, which gained 33 cubic yards to offset a volume
                    loss of similar magnitude during 1996. Stations 4555 and 4565 both experienced some
                    seaward dune face erosion, although 4555 lost 8 cubic yard   s net while 4565 gained 7
                    cubic yards net. Station 4575, closest to the inletjetty, appears to have lost a small dune
                    on the seaward spit between October 1996 and April 1997.







            4400B Litchfield Beach
            LITCHFIELD BY THE SEA IN FRONT OF NORTH SECTION OF BREAKERS REEF

       -j
       U)                                                                     3-4-1997 4400B
                                                                              25-9-1996 4400B
                                                                              21-4-1996 4400B
       15                                                            -------  11 -10-1987 4400

       C
       0


       >



        10-








         5-








         0-





       -5- Distance in Feet

           0        100       200       300        400       500       600        700


























                                                                   970

                                                                 965


                                                             955

                                                           Ose


                                                        40 S

                                                     35

                                                   39




                                                920


                                              915
                                             919


                     MRRELLS        4
                       INLET                 is






                                     Garden City (Georgetown County)









                    Garden City Beach


                            This section of shoreline begins at Murrells Inlet and extends northward to the
                    southern limit of the Town of Surfside Beach. The southern half of Garden City contains
                    few shore-protection structures, while in the northern half, between stations 4960 and
                    5030, seawalls and bulkheads become predominant. This section also contains a groin
                    field. There are 24 monitoring stations in Garden City, which were surveyed in June and
                    November 1997. In general, sand volumes are adequate in the unarmored section of
                    Georgetown County, begin to decrease in the armored section of Georgetown County,
                    and reach a minimum in the armored section 'of Horry County.

                            Most stations in the unarmored standard zone from 4900 through 4955
                    experienced minor to moderate variations to the beach profile during the past year.
                    Several stations at the southern end of this reach experienced erosion between October
                    1996 and June 1997, with the greatest loss at station 4915, which lost 9 cubic yards. Six
                    cubic yards of this was regained by October, making this the only station with a net loss.
                    All other stations typically showed a net gain of 3-6 cubic yards for the year.

                            Monitoring stations along the armored shoreline in Georgetown County, from
                    4960 to 4999, also experienced very minor changes to the beach profile during 1997.
                    Typically sand volumes changed by only a few cubic yards per foot for the year.

                            For the northernmost section of Garden City, the armored shoreline in Hon-y
                    County, profiles were fairly stable but slightly more erosional. Station 5000 at Azalea
                    Drive lost several feet from the crest of a narrow dune, resulting in a sand volume loss of
                    2 cubic yards. Station 5005 at Yaupon Drive also lost 2 cubic yards, while 5010 at
                    Cypress Ave. gained 3 yards. The largest losses were found at 5015, near Holliday
                    Drive, and 5020, at Seabreeze Drive, which lost 5 and 7 cubic yards respectively. The
                    remaining three stations, 5025, 5030, and 5035, experienced net changes of plus or minus
                    one cubic yard.





             4935 Garden Cit
             EAST OF WACCAVAW DR., SOUTH OF PLACE AT THE BEACH

       V)                                                                      12-10-1997 4935
                                                                               30-3-1997 4935
                                                                               28-9-1996 4935
         15-                                                           ------- 28-9-1989 4935

       C
       0
       -W
       0




             -------------------














          5-







          0-





        -5- Distance in Feet

            0          100          200         300          400          500          600

























                                                                             280

                                                                           70
                                                                        250 MOSP
                                                                     250
                                                                    40

                                                     Co          30


                                                                  OCEAN LAKES
                                                           219


                                                       195
                                                    ISO
                                                  130
                                               148 SMSIDE BEACH
                                             129
                                           lies



                                          GARDEN CITY











                                         Garden City (Horry County)
                                               Surfside Beach
                                     Unincorporated Horry County--South








                   Surfside Beach and Unincorporated Horry County-South



                          This section of the Grand Strand includes 6 monitoring stations in the Town of
                   Surfside Beach, and 9 stations in the unincorporated region north of Surfside Beach-the
                   campground region, Long Bay Estates, and Myrtle Beach State Park. Surveys were
                   completed in March and October 1997.

                          Stations 5 100 at 16" Ave. South through 5195 at 16" Ave. North fall with the
                   Town of Surfside Beach, and with the exception of station 5 100, all have a well-
                   established primary sand dune. Stations here -experienced minor seasonal changes during
                   the past year. Station 5 100 gained 8 cubic yards of sand on the upper beach, while station
                   5120 at 10hAve. South lost a small berm but had no net volume change. Other typical
                   stations for this area are 5130 near 5thAve. South, which gained 3 cubic yards of sand,
                   and station 5195 at 16' Ave. North, which lost 7 cubic yards of sand.

                          Stations 5200-5230 are located in the campground section. All stations except for
                   52 20, which is armored, have a well-defined primary dune with crest elevation of 12-14
                   feet. In Ocean Lakes, station 5200 experienced dune erosion and lost 8 cubic yards of
                   sand on the upper beach beach, while 5210 saw minor erosion at the base of the dune
                   with no net volume change. Station 5220, the armored station in Lakewood campground,
                   showed minor profile changes seaward of the revetment. At 5230, in Pirateland, the unit-
                   width volume decreased by 2 cubic yards per foot.

                          At station 5240 in Long Bay Estates the profile was very stable and showed no net
                   volume change. In Myrtle Beach State Park, 5250 lost I cubic yard of sand. The next
                   station to the north, 5260, was also very stable. Near the swimming pool, station 5270
                   gained 3 cubic yards of sand on the lower beach. At 5280, located at Springmaid fishing
                   pier, the profile also gained 3 cubic yards of sand.






            5180B Surfside Beach
            SW CORNER OF INTERSECTION OF OCEAN BLVD AND 9TH AVE N

                                                                               4-10-1997    5180B
                                                                               21-3-1997    5180B
                                                                               21-9-1996    5180B
      LL- 15 -                                                         ------- 24-10-1987 5180

       C
       0





         10-








          5-








          0-







        -5-
              Distance in Feet


           0           100          200         300          400          500          600





























                                                                                SOS
                                                                               es
                                                                             Be
                                                                          75

                                                                     46S
                                                                   4
                                                                  Ss

                                                              4S
                                                           440
                                                          3S
                                                      4
                                                    29

                                                 lie
                                               as



                                          9


                                   is








                                                   Myrtle Beach








                    Myrtle Beach



                            The next area discussed is the eight-mile section of shoreline within the Myrtle
                    Beach city limits. Beach surveys were conducted at 23 monuments in March and
                    September/October 1997. Myrtle Beach was renourished between May and December
                    1997 as part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Grand Strand Renourishment project.
                    The October 1997 beach profiles show renourishment sand at the southern end of the
                    Myrtle Beach, while the central and northern profiles do not.

                            Stations 5300-5430, from 29' Ave. South to 3 1 " Ave. North, are located in the
                    southern commercial district. There are many seawalls and bulkheads in thisregion, and
                    prior to renourishment sand volumes were relatively low. The section from 5300 at 29'
                    Ave. South to 5405 at 7h Ave. North was renoun*shed between the March and September
                    1997 surveys. Prior to renourishment, almost all profiles in this section showed moderate
                    erosion between the fall of 1996 and the spring of 1997. For the renourished stations, the
                    dry-sand beach width increased by 100 to 120 feet between the spring and fall of 1997, as
                    the unit-width sand volume increased by 35-45 cubic yards per foot. The average design
                    unit-width sand volume increase for the Myrtle Beach renourishment project was 38
                    cubic yards per foot.

                            Several other stations from 5410 at 13" Ave. South to 5430 at 3 V Ave. North,
                    located in the southern commercial district but not renourished prior to the fall 1997
                    survey, were still fairly active for the year. Station 5415 at 20' Ave. North lost 16 cubic
                    yards of sand during the winter season but gained it all back by the October survey.
                    Conversely, sta tion 5425 at 27h Ave. North gained 33 cubic yards of sand over the winter
                    season but lost it all by the October survey.

                            The area between stations 543 5 and 5465, from 3 1 " Ave. North to 67 Ih Ave.
                    North, is primarily a residential section with some commercial sites. There are few
                    bulkheads or seawalls, and although a primary dune exists in many areas there are also
                    unarmored sections where the highland, usually a residential lawn, simply slopes down to
                    the berm. Only three stations in this region show more than minor seasonal changes.
                    Station 5445 at 48hAve. North may have been renourished prior to the September 1997








                   survey as it gained 49 cubic yards of sand for the year. The next station to the north,
                   5450, lost 15 cubic yards of sand from the upper beach, while at 5460 the profile gained
                   39 cubic yards of sand. As with station 5445, this may be renourishment sand.

                          Stations 5470, 5475, and 5480 are located in the northern commercial district,
                   although there are several residential structures here a well. A small but well-defined
                   primary dune exists along most of the beach. All three stations gained 6-7 cubic yards of
                   sand for the year. This volumetric increase occurred on the lower portion of the profile,
                   below the 0 foot contour, which was in an oversteepened condition in the September
                   1996 survey.






            5465B M Me Beach
            45 FT NATH OF WALKWAY IN PUBLIC ACCESS AT 67TH AVE N
       Ln                                                                      6-9-1997  5465B
                                                                               8-3-1997  5465B
                                                                      - - - - -12-10-1996 5465B
        15 -                                                          -------  14-3-1988 5465

       C
       0
       41
       0
       >



         10-








          5-








          0-





       -5- Distance in Feet

           0         100       200       300       400        500       600        700       800

































                                                                       S90

                                                                       BRIARCLIFFE ACRES




                                                                     !@\ ev

                                   LAKE ARROWHEAD


                        Is
                      13









                                  Unincorporated Horry County--North









                     Unincorporated Horry County-North



                             This area of unincorporated Horry County is located between the City of Myrtle
                     Beach and White Point Swash, and includes the Shore Drive section, the campground
                     section, and Briarcliffe Acres. There are 14 beach survey monuments located here, which
                     were surveyed on various dates in the spring of 1997 and in December 1997. .

                             Stations 5500 and 5505 are located on Club Road, just north of the City of Myrtle
                     Beach. These two stations were the most dynamic in this area for 1997. Station 5500
                     lost 32 cubic yards of sand along the entire profile seaward of the-dune by April, but then
                     gained back all but one yard by December. Station 5505 gained 30 cubic yards of sand
                     through June, and then an additional 7 yards by December.

                             Stations 5510, 5513, and 5515 are located north of Singleton Swash along Shore
                     Drive, where shoreline armoring is extensive. The first two stations, at Sands Beach Club
                     and Brigadune, were fairly stable for the year, but 5515 at Sands Ocean Club lost 20
                     cubic yards of sand from the lower beach over the latter half of the year.

                             Stations 5520-5550 are located in the campground section, where oceanfront
                     development is a mixture of campsites and resort hotels. All profiles here showed a net
                     gain of sand in 1997. Station 5520 at Apache Campground gained 10 cubic yards, station
                     5530 at the Radisson gained 13 cubic yards, station 5535 at the Hilton gained 16 cubic
                     yards, station 5540 at the Arcadian gained 10 cubic yards, and 5550 at the Arcadian
                     Campground gained 4 c@bic yards.

                             Stations 5560-5590 are located in Briarcliffe Acres, where the oceanfront is
                     undeveloped and a well-defined primary dune exists with virtually no shoreline armoring.
                     This area was also accretional during the past year, as stations 5560, 5570, 5580 and 5590
                     gained 14, 6, 12, and 20 cubic yards of sand, respectively.






            5550B Briarcliffe
            ARCADIAN TRAVEL CAMPGRND 7TH CAMPTRAIL FROM N END OF CAMPGRND

                                                                                17-12-1997 5550B
                                                                                30-3-1997 5550B
                                                                                20-9-1996 55508
                                                                       -------  5-3-1988 5550
      L-L 15

       C
       0





         10-







          5-







          0-





         -5-  Distance in Feet

            0        100       200        300       400       500        600        700


























                                                   %I








                                                       11



                                                        AM
                                                          a
                            ..                      To


                                              I

                                                                           rev
                                         \ ATLANTIC BEACH           o X ev 4VOO
                                                                jl.@

                                                                     I
       I                                                                                  I






























                                   North Myrtle Beach-Southern Half


























                                                                                     HOG
                                                                                        INLET



                                                                                              Is







                                                                  Oct













                                     North Myrtle Beach--Northem Half









                    North Myrtle Beach


                            This section of beach includes the City of North Myrtle Beach and Atlantic
                    Beach, from White Point Swash to Hog Inlet. The shoreline is heavily developed and
                    much of it is armored, with alternating zones of commercial and residential structures.
                    There are 43 beach survey monuments here, which were surveyed in June and November
                    1997. The beach at North Myrtle Beach is typically very wide and flat, primarily due to
                    the sand size, which is finer-grained than other Grand Strand beaches. North Myrt le
                    Beach was renourished by the Army Corps of Engineers between September 1996 and
                    April 1997, increasing the dry-sand beach width by over 100 feet and unit-width sand
                    volumes by over 70 cubic yards per foot.

                           In Windy Hill, the southernmost portion of North Myrtle Beach from 48hAve.
                    South to 37' Ave. South, stations 5650-5715 were all renourished between the September
                    1996 and April 1997 survey, increasing the beach width by over 100 feet. Between the
                    April and November 1997 surveys the beach at station 5650 near White Point Swash
                    experienced moderate erosion while the other three stations were very stable, indicating
                    that any accelerated post-renourishment erosion that may have occurred was limited to
                    the first six months following construction. In Atlantic Beach, from 37d, Ave. South to
                    28t' Ave. South, station 5725 showed the same trend of virtually no post-renourishment
                    erosion between the April and November 1997 surveys.

                           Crescent Beach extends from 28hAve. South to 2    dAve. North. At station 57630

                    in this section the fall 1996 profile, taken in October 1996, is an immediate post-
                    construction profile. Between October 1996 and July 1997 the upper beach here scarped
                    back 50 feet and lost 9 cubic yards of sand, but was stable between July and November.
                    At all other stations in Crescent Beach the fall 1996 profile is a pre-construction profile,
                    and any post-construction erosion was finished by April 1997, which is essentially the
                    same profile as the November 1997 profile.

                           In Ocean Drive, from 2 nd Ave. North to Sea Mountain Highway, most profiles
                    between the spring and November of 1997 show some reworking of the renourishment
                    sand in the intertidal zone but no substantive erosion. Cherry Grove encompasses the
                    northern section of North Myrtle Beach, from Sea Mountain Highway to Hog Inlet.









                  Much of this area is armored, and portions of Cherry Grove experienced chronic sand
                  deficits prior to renourishment. All but one station here followed the general North
                  Myrtle Beach trend of profile stability between the spring and fall of 1997, with virtually
                  no post-renourishment erosion during this time period. The lone exception is the
                  northernmost station, 5895 at Hog Inlet, where the berm scarped back by 33 feet between

                  June and November.




            5840 North Mrtle Beach
            NE CORNER 0 INTERSECTION OF OCEAN BLVD AND 26TH AVE N

      Ln                                                                       25-11-1997 5840
                                                                               21 -6-1997 5840
      Q)                                                                       16-9-1996 5840
      Q)                                                              -------  4-3-1988 5840
      L-L 15

      C
      0
      -W
      @0
      >



        10-








         5-








         0-







        5
             Distan.ce in Feet
                I     I    I    I    I    I    I     I    I    I   ,I     I  INI    I    I ---I
           0        100        200       300       400        500       600        700       800




























                                                                LITTLE RIVER INLET




                                                                     S97S
                                                      0594S
                                               59M
                                        Sol
                                .so                            Is
                           So
           MG INLET      Iu              S                        IC OCEAN






                                         Waites Island










                     Waites Island


                            Waites Island is an undeveloped three-mile long barrier island located between
                     Hog Inlet to the southwest and Little River Inlet to the northeast. Little River Inlet was
                     stabilized by the construction of ajetty system between 1981 and 1983. The southwest
                     .end of Waites Island is an unstabilized inlet zone, the central portion is a standard zone,
                     and the northeastern section is a stabilized inlet zone. There are 7 monitoring stations on
                     Waites Island, which were surveyed in April and November 1997.

                            The Hog Inlet shoreline is extremely erosional, losing several hundred feet in
                     recent years. Monitoring station 5900, located on the inlet, was lost to erosion several
                     years ago. At station 5905, located on the Atlantic shoreline, the two rows of dunes were
                     stable and the intertidal beach experienced minor changes. At station 5915 the primary
                     dune was also stable, while the rest of the beach gained 32 cubic yards of sand for the
                     year along the entire profile. For station 5930, a newly-forming dune seaward of the
                     -primary dune continued to grow, increasing in height by several feet, while the rest of the
                     profile also accreted for a total gain of 30 cubic yards of sand. The beach at station 5945
                     also showed the formation of a new dune seaward of the established primary dune. The
                     total sand gained here was 22 cubic yards. At 5960'the dune was stable while the
                     intertidal profile gained 16 cubic yards of sand from October 1996 through April 1997,
                     and then was unchanged through November. While the dune crest at 5975 increased in
                     height by two feet this was the only station to show a net volumetric loss for the year,
                     losing 6 cubic yards of sand from the upper intertidal beach. The final station is 5995,
                     located closest to Hog Inlet and 50 feet.south of the south jetty. In 1996 the primary dune

                     here was reduced in elevation from 13 feet to 12 feet and the seaward face of the dune

                     eroded back 10 feet. In 1997 this trend continued, as the dune dropped in elevation by
                     two feet and the seaward face of the dune scarped back another 16 feet. This is the only
                     station on Waites Island to show dune erosion, but a much larger dune with a crest
                     elevation in excess of 20 feet sits immediately landward of the eroding primary dune.
                     The profile below the 0 foot contour at this station gained sand for the year, showing a
                     volume increase of 18 cubic yards.






            591 5B Waites Island
            0.1 MI NORTH OF BEACH ACCESS

                                                                               15-11-1997 5915B
       4-1                                                                     5-4-1997 591 5B
                                                                               12-10-1996 5915B
        15 -                                                           ------- 24-9-1988 5915

        C
        0





       Lij -


        10-







          5-







          0-








              Distance in Feet


            0      100     200     300     400      500     600      700     800     900










                 State-Wide Summary and 1998 Update

                        1997 was a fairly mild year for the beaches of South Carolina. Although there
                 were seven named storms during the Atlantic hurricane season, no tropical storm or
                 hurricane caused any erosion to the state's beaches. As in previous years the inlet zones,
                 those beaches closest to unstabilized tidal inlets, were the most dynamic. The northeast
                 end of Fripp Island, most of Harbor Island, and the southwest end of Folly Beach are all
                 inlet zones that experienced significant shoreline changes. A shoal attachment episode in
                 the inlet zone at the northeast end of the Isle of Palms finally concluded in 1997, ending
                 two years of extreme erosion there.

                        Other areas with chronic sand deficits and a minimal buffer between the ocean

                 and high-ground development include Daufuskie Island, parts of Edisto Beach, the
                 northeast end of Sullivans Island, and southern Debidue Beach. Major beach.
                 renourishment projects were constructed at North Myrtle Beach between September 1996
                 and April 1997, and at Hilton Head Island between May and November 1997. Another
                 renourishment project began in Myrtle Beach in May 1997. In most other areas of the
                 state the beaches were fairly stable.

                       In 1998 the Myrtle Beach renourishment project is expected to be finished, while
                 a major renourishment project. is scheduled for Surfside Beach and Garden City Beach.
                 Both the Town of Sullivans Island and the Town of Pawleys Island are planning beach
                 restoration projects that include repair work to existing groin fields and moving sand with
                 land-based equipment from accreted shoals to eroded sections of shoreline. A
                 renourishment project is currently underway at Debidue Beach, using sand from an
                 upland source, while a dredged-based renourishment project is also planned for
                 Daufuskie Island this year.




















































                 This report was printed on DHEC-OCRM's copier at a cost of $2.25 per copy.




                                                                                                                    NOAA COASTAL SERVICES CTR LIBRARY



                                                                                                                    3 6668 14111796 2