encroachment. Removal of this feature would increase the transport capacity of
the flood current and promote tidal circulation in the neighboring marshes.
Numerical modeling of tidal circulation at Mattituck Inlet in a representative
natural condition revealed marked hydrodynamic similarity to Goldsmith Inlet,
which has a cross-sectional area relation with tidal prism similar to that of small
inlets in Chesapeake Bay. A hypothesis is suggested that the inlets along the
north shore of Long Island display a unique relation between cross-sectional area
and tidal prism. A regional characteristic relation is plausible given the low rates
of longshore sediment transport, large sediment size, and relatively large tidal
prism found in this region. The tide range within Long Island Sound increases
from east to west. An increase in tidal ranges suggests that inlets along Long
Island Sound will be increasingly stable proceeding east to west. It is further
expected that other north shore inlets in Long Island Sound will lack an ebb shoal
or have a much smaller ebb shoal as compared to the standard predictive formula.
Flood shoals would be large for the shallower inlets.
296
Chapter 7 Comparative Analysis and Conclusions
Previous Page
