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Geological Circular 77-1—Shoreline Changes on Mustang Island and North Padre Island (Aransas Pass to Yarborough Pass): an Anal

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Geological Circular 77-1—Shoreline Changes on Mustang Island and North Padre Island (Aransas Pass to Yarborough Pass): an Anal TEXAS BCR. OF ECON. GEOLOGY GEGL* CIFX. GEOLOGICAL "7 "7~ -4 CIRCULAR I I \ SHORELINE CHANGES ON MUSTANG ISLAND AND NORTH PADRE ISLAND (ARANSAS PASS TO YARBOROUGH PASS) AN ANALYSIS OF HISTORICAL CHANGES OF THE TEXAS GULF SHORELINE BY ROBERT A. MORTON AND MARY J. PIEPER BUREAU OF ECONOMIC GEOLOGY THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN , AUSTIN TEXAS 78712 * ns,Cfc,l¥fc«L>jpre-3K jxifjfi j/px*tg-=*» IF"ft /*"-*** uT*I*^, W. L. FISHER, DIRECTOROR 1977 JUL 111977 ATLANTIC RfCHFIELD COMPAf^ 6EOSCIENCE LIBRi GEOLOGICAL "7 "T -i CIRCULAR / /~ I SHORELINE CHANGES ON MUSTANG ISLAND AND NORTH PADRE ISLAND (ARANSAS PASS TO YARBOROUGH PASS) AN ANALYSIS OF HISTORICAL CHANGES OF THE TEXAS GULF SHORELINE BY ROBERT A. MORTON AND MARY J. PIEPER BUREAU OF ECONOMIC GEOLOGY THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN AUSTIN, TEXAS 78712 W. L. FISHER, DIRECTOR RECEIVED JUL 111977 1977 ATLANTIC RICHFIELD COMPANY 6EOSCIENCE LIBRARY n(D C cO 5 B 8 9 Contents Abstract 1 Yarborough Pass 15 Introduction 2 Changes inshorelineposition 15 Purpose and scope 2 Late Quaternary time 15 General statement onshoreline changes 2 Historic time 16 Acknowledgments 3 1860-82 to 1937 16 Historical Shoreline Monitoring— General Methods 1937 to 1956-60 18 and Procedures Used by the Bureau of Economic Geology 4 1956-60 to 1969-70 20 Definition 4 1969-70 to 1974-75 21 Sources of data 4 Nethistoric changes (1860-82 to 1974-75) 21 Procedure 4 Changes inpositionofvegetation line 23 Factorsaffecting accuracy of data 4 1937 to 1956-60 23 Original data 4 1956-60 to 1969-70 23 Topographicsurveys 4 1969-70 to 1974-75 25 Aerialphotographs 5 Factors affecting shoreline and vegetation line Interpretationof photographs 5 changes 26 Cartographic procedure 6 Climate 26 Topographic charts 6 Storm frequency and intensity 26 Aerialphotographs 6 Destructive forces and storm Measurements and calculatedrates 6 damage 27 Justification of methodand limitations 6 Changes in beachprofile during and Sources and nature of supplemental after storms 27 information 7 Local and eustatic sea-level conditions 28 Monitoringof vegetationline 7 Sediment budget 29 Previous work 8 Human activities 30 Present beach characteristics 9 Evaluationof factors 30 Textureand composition 9 Predictions of future changes 32 Beachprofiles 10 References 33 Human alterations of naturalconditions 12 Appendix A. Determination of changes in shoreline AransasPass 12 and vegetationline 38 Corpus Christi Water Exchange Pass 14 Appendix B. Tropical cyclones affecting the Texas Corpus Christi Pass, Newport Pass, Packery Coast,1854-1973 44 Channel 15 Appendix C. List of materials andsources 45 List of Illustrations Figures 8. Relative changes in position of shoreline and 1. Index map of the Texas Gulf shoreline 3 vegetationline at selectedlocations 24 2. Generalizeddiagram of beach profile 8 9. Generalized diagram of sediment transport 3. Beach profiles, Aransas Pass to Yarborough directions between Aransas Pass and Pass, recordedJune 17-18, 1975 11 YarboroughPass 31 4. Location of significant coastal structures and alterations of Aransas Pass and adjacent areas 13 Tables 5. Proposed sea-level changes during the last 1. Short-termshoreline changes between1860-66 20,000 years 16 and 1937 nearAransasPass 18 6. Location map of points of measurement and 2. Maximum hurricane surge height recorded beach profiles 17 along the central Texas Coast,1916 to 1975 19 7. Net shoreline changes between Aransas Pass 3. Short-term shoreline changes between 1937 and YarboroughPass 22 and 1960 near YarboroughPass 20 Changes Mustang (Aransas Pass to YarboroughPass) ShorelineAn Analysis Of HistoricalOn ChangesIslandOf TheAndTexasNorthGulfPadreShorelineIsland by Robert A.Morton and Mary J.Pieper Abstract Historical monitoring along Mustang and Net changes on north Padre Island were north Padre Islands records the nature and magni- predominantly accretionary;however, net erosion tude of changes in position of the shoreline and was recorded from Packery Channel southward for provides insight vegetationline and into the factors a distance of about 7 miles. Minimum net erosion affecting changes. those was 50 feet, whereas maximum net erosion was feet, Documentation of changesis accomplished by 500 and averagenet erosion was 220 feet. The the compilation of shoreline and vegetation line shoreline from 6.5 to 9 miles north of the position from topographic maps, aerial photo- Kleberg/Kenedy county line experienced only graphs, and coastal charts of various vintages. minor net changes of 25 feet or less.Theremaining Comparison of shoreline position based on topo- shoreline of north Padre Island experienced net graphic charts (dated 1860-82) and aerial photo- accretion ranging from less than 10 feet to 275 graphs (taken in 1937, 1956-60, 1969-70, and feet; net accretion, which increased southward 1974-75) indicates short-term changes of accretion along the island, averaged 140 feet. Net rates of and erosion along the Gulf shoreline between change were also low alongnorth Padre Island. Net Aransas Pass and Yarborough Pass. Erosion pro- erosion ranged from less than 1foot to 5.4 feet per duces a net loss in land, whereas accretion pro- year and averaged 2.0 feet per year. Similarly, net duces a net gain in land. Comparison of the accretion varied from less than 1foot to 3.0 feet vegetationline based on the aforementioned aerial and averaged1.5 feet per year. photographs indicates short-term cycles of retreat related to storms (primarily hurricanes) and re- Because of limitations imposed by the tech- covery during intervening years of low storm nique used, rates of change are subordinate to incidence. trends or direction of change. Furthermore, values determined for long-term net changes should be Long-term trend or direction of shoreline used in context. The values for rates of netchange changes averaged over the 115-year time period of are adequate for describing long-term trends;how- this study indicates that Mustang Island has ever, rates of short-term changesmay be of greater experienced net erosion with two exceptions.Net magnitude than rates of long-term changes, partic- accretion adjacent to Aransas Pass, which de- ularly in areas where both accretion and erosion creasedfrom 1,600 feetnear the south jetty to 350 have occurred. feet about 2 miles south of the pass, was caused principally by inlet migration and concomitant Major and minor factors affecting shoreline outbuilding of the north end of the island prior to changes include: (1) climate, (2) storm frequency jetty construction in 1889. Net accretion also and intensity, (3) local and eustatic sea-level occurred about 1.5 miles north of the Nueces/ conditions, (4) sediment budget, and (5) human Kleberg county line attendant with the infilling of activities. The major factors affecting shoreline Packery Channel. Theremainder of MustangIsland changes along the Texas Coast, including Mustang recorded net erosion ranging from 75 to 350 feet and north Padre Islands, are relative sea-level and averaging 225 feet. Net rates of change, conditions, compactional subsidence, and changes however, were low along Mustang Island except in sediment supply. Changes in position of the where net accretion ranged from approximately 3 vegetationline are primarily related to storms. feet per year to 14 feet per year. Net erosion on the island ranged from less than 1footper year to Studies indicate that changes in shoreline and 3.8 feet peryear and averaged 2.0 feet per year. vegetation line onMustang andnorth Padre Islands 2 are largely the result of natural processes,perhaps effects is requisite to avoid or minimize physical expedited by man's activities. A basic compre- and economic losses associated with development hension of these physical processes and their and use of the coast. Introduction The Texas Coastal Zone is experiencing adjacent Matagorda Bay area, a cooperative study geological, hydrological, biological, and land use by the Bureau of Economic Geology and the Texas changes as aresult of natural processes and man's General Land Office. In this study, basic tech- activities. What was once arelatively undeveloped niques of historical monitoring were developed; expanse of beach along deltaic headlands, penin- results of the Matagorda Bay project were pub- (1975). sulas, and barrier islands is presently undergoing lished by MeGowen and Brewton Competition for considerable development. space In 1973, the Texas Legislature appropriated exists among such activities as recreation,construc- funds for the Bureau of Economic Geology to tion and occupation of seasonal and permanent conduct historical monitoring of the entire 367 residential housing, industrial and commercial miles of Texas Gulf shoreline during the development, and mineral and resource 1973-1975 biennium. Work versions of base maps production. (scale 1:24,000) for this project are onopen file at the Bureau of Economic Geology. Results of the Studies indicate that shoreline and vegetation project are being published in a series of reports; line changes on Mustang and north Padre Islands each report describes shoreline changes for a and along other segments of the Texas Gulf Coast particular segment of the Texas Gulf Coast. This are largely the result of natural processes. A basic report covering the Gulf shoreline from Aransas comprehension of these physical processes and Pass to Yarborough Pass (fig. 1) is the seventh in their effects is requisite to avoid or minimize that series. physical and economic losses associated withdevel- opment and use of the coast. General
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