Buzzards Bay Geographic Response Plan for Oil-Spill Mitigation Based on research coordinated by The Coalition for Buzzards Bay December 2004 Prepared by Miles O. Hayes, Todd M. Montello, Linos Cotsapas, and Mark White, Research Planning, Inc. Research Planning, Inc. Buzzards Bay Geographic Response Plan TABLE OF CONTENTS Page List of Figures ........................................................................................................................... ii List of Tables ............................................................................................................................ ii List of Summary Sheets ............................................................................................................ ii Acknowledgments..................................................................................................................... v Introduction............................................................................................................................... 1 Protection Strategies Used ........................................................................................................ 6 Classification of Protection Sites.............................................................................................. 10 Tidal Inlets—General................................................................................................................ 11 Origin ................................................................................................................................. 11 Morphology......................................................................................................................... 11 Sites to be Protected on Shoreline of Buzzards Bay................................................................. 13 Introduction......................................................................................................................... 13 Classic Tidal Inlets.............................................................................................................. 13 “Half Inlets” ........................................................................................................................ 13 Natural Temporary Washover Channels into Coastal Ponds.............................................. 14 River Mouth Entrances and Natural Coves and Bays......................................................... 14 Harbors................................................................................................................................ 14 Islands ................................................................................................................................. 15 Tidal Current Data .............................................................................................................. 15 Boom Requirements.................................................................................................................. 16 Explanation of Terms Used ...................................................................................................... 18 Beach Morphology.............................................................................................................. 19 Coastal Sediments............................................................................................................... 18 Other Commonly Used Terms ............................................................................................ 19 i Research Planning, Inc. Buzzards Bay Geographic Response Plan LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1 Coastal locations for which protection strategies have been devised ........................... 3 2 Angles to set booms to avoid entrainment of the oil based on water current velocity in miles per hour ................................................................................. 7 3 Strategy for Westport River (strategy no. 2)................................................................. 9 4 General model showing the morphological components of a typical tidal inlet ....................................................................................................................... 12 5 Nomenclature used for the sand beaches ...................................................................... 18 LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1 Locations for which protection strategies were developed ........................................... 2 2 Proposed ranking scale for the site on the Buzzards Bay shoreline selected to be protected, based on estimated degree of difficulty for containment and recovery of spilled oil....................................................................................................................... 10 3 Approximate footages of boom required for the potential protection strategies presented for the Buzzards Bay coast ........................................................... 16 LIST OF SUMMARY SHEETS #1 Richmond Pond............................................................................................................. 1-1 #2 Westport River System ................................................................................................. 2-1 #3 Allens Pond................................................................................................................... 3-1 #4 Slocums River System .................................................................................................. 4-1 #5 Little River System ....................................................................................................... 5-1 #6 Salters Pond.................................................................................................................. 6-1 ii Research Planning, Inc. Buzzards Bay Geographic Response Plan #7 Apponagansett Bay ........................................................................................................ 7-1 #8 New Bedord Outer Harbor............................................................................................. 8-1 #9 West Island System and Causeway................................................................................ 9-1 #10 Nasketucket Bay........................................................................................................... 10-1 #11 Brandt Island Cove....................................................................................................... 11-1 #12 Mattapoisett Harbor System......................................................................................... 12-1 #13 Upper Aucoot Cove ..................................................................................................... 13-1 #14A Ram Island .................................................................................................................14A-1 #14B Bird Island..................................................................................................................14B-1 #15 Sippican Harbor........................................................................................................... 15-1 #16 Wings Cove.................................................................................................................. 16-1 #17 Weweantic River System............................................................................................. 17-1 #18 Wareham River System .............................................................................................. 18-1 #19 Bourne Cove................................................................................................................ 19-1 #20 Little Harbor................................................................................................................. 20-1 #21 Widows Cove............................................................................................................... 21-1 #22 Onset Bay System ........................................................................................................ 22-1 #23 Buttermilk Bay System ................................................................................................ 23-1 #24 Back River System....................................................................................................... 24-1 #25 Pocasset River System ................................................................................................. 25-1 #26 Red Brook Harbor System ........................................................................................... 26-1 #27 Squeteague Harbor....................................................................................................... 27-1 #28 Rands Harbor ............................................................................................................... 28-1 #29 Fiddlers Cove............................................................................................................... 29-1 #30A Wild Harbor River .....................................................................................................30A-1 #30B Wild Harbor ...............................................................................................................30B-1 #31 West Falmouth Harbor................................................................................................. 31-1 #32A Little Sippewisset Marsh............................................................................................32A-1 iii Research Planning, Inc. Buzzards Bay Geographic Response Plan #32B Great Sippewisset Marsh ...........................................................................................32B-1