A Comparison of Bay Sediment Composition Between the

Beach and Bulkhead at Various Distances on Tuscarora Ave.,

Waretown, New Jersey
By: Kayla Johnston
Marine Academy of Technology and Environmental Science

Abstract
Sediments are a key component of aquatic ecosystems. Studying sediments can indicate the
water quality of a system, dictate what vegetation can grow there, reveal the composition of a
beach or seabed, and even determine a beachs possibility or degree of erosion. In an estuary,
sediments can be transported throughout the system via wind, tidal changes, and waves.
Sediments were collected from the Barnegat Bay off of Tuscarora Ave., Waretown, New Jersey.
Samples were collected from both a beach and a bulkhead a various distances from the shore or
bulkhead. The sediments were separate via a sieve and the compositions of the two sites and their
various distances were analyzed. An ANOVA single-factor test was ran on the composition at the
various distances for each site, and showed a significant difference in the compositions for both
sites. Two t-tests were also used to compare the overall coarser and finer sediment compositions
of the beach and the bulkhead, but did not yield a significant difference. Near the shore or
beginning of the bulkhead, both sites showed more of a variety of sediments types. However, the
farther away from the starting points the samples were collected from, the more they were
composed of finer sands. The lack of preference of particle size between the beach and bulkhead
could be due to tidal patterns. The finer far-shore sands can be accounted for by the fact that
these smaller grains are more cohesive and do not travel as easily as the less-cohesive, larger
grains. This analysis can be useful for determining patterns of sediment transportation, beach
erosion, and how bulkheads affect sediment transportation.

Introduction
With coastal development, tropical and winter storms such as Superstorm Sandy, and natural
processes, many coastal and estuarine beaches tend to undergo beach erosion. In estuaries,
sediment is transported in various ways: tides and winds trigger the movement of the particles,
while some particles travel suspended or dissolved in the water column, and some travel with the
tides and along the seabed (Sediment Transport). The mobility of sediment can also be affected
by its cohesiveness, or tendency to stick together. Finer sediments are more cohesive than larger
ones, and organic matter such as detritus can add cohesiveness to sediments. More cohesive
sediments tend to stick together and be less mobile than less cohesive sediments (McNally and
Mehta). Understanding sediment transport is vital to analyzing the health and condition of shore

and aquatic ecosystems. By studying sediment transport, it is possible to understand or predict

the erosion and/or deposition occurring on certain shores (Sediment Transport). Erosion can
decrease soil productivity and even prevent certain plants from growing there, therefore slowly
depleting food and habitat sources for various animals. On the contrary, excessive deposition of
fine sediments can result in high turbidity levels in water, harm benthic animals, and degrade
aquatic habitat (Atkins). Interruptions in natural sediment transport processes caused by manmade structures such as canals and bulkheads can result in an alteration in natural sediment
compositions. The sediments found near bulkheads are shown to be coarser due to high water
turbulence near them, and as a result, attract organisms that prefer coarser-grained habitats
(Effects of Artificial). Based on this background information, it was hypothesized that
sediment size for both the bulkhead and beach would be larger closer to the beach/bulkhead, and
finer farther away due to coastal erosion and particle cohesiveness. Additionally, the overall
particle composition of the bulkhead would consist of coarser particles than the beach.

Methodology
Study Site: Sediment samples were collected off the end of Tuscarora Ave., Waretown, New
Jersey. The sediment samples were collected from the Barnegat Bay at both a beach and a
bulkhead in the bay (Figure 1). These two sites were selected in order to compare sediments
found at the shore vs. the bulkhead of the same beach. The samples were collected on September
25th, 2015. The weather was clear, had an approximate northeast wind speed of 18.9 mph., and an
air temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Samples were taken back to the MATES Oceanography
lab for analysis.
Procedure: The data was collected by the MATES 2015 Block 2 Oceanography class. The
sampling team first collected samples at the beach, then collected at the bulkhead. The students
used waders to go out into the bay and retrieve samples. Sample were collected at four distances

starting from the shore, or the bulkhead (depending on the site): Near shore/bulkhead, 5 meters
out, 10 meters out, and 15 meters out. A tape measurer was held by a student and taken into the
water with another student to measure distance during the sampling process. Sediment samples
were collected using a Van Veen grab sampler (Figure 2), brought back to the shore in trays, and
then bagged for lab analysis. In the lab, excessively large pebbles, shells, and other organic
matter were separated by hand from the samples to prevent interference with sediment
separation. 100 grams of sediment from each sample site and distance were placed in tin trays
then heated in a drying oven to remove moisture. After drying, each sample was then placed into
a sieve (Figure 3) and separated by grain size in a cascade shaker for 3 minutes each. The
different layers of the sieve were dissembled, and the sediment remaining in each layer was
weighed in grams using an analytical balance. Grain sizes were determined based on the
Wentworth Sediment Size Classes (Figure 4).
Statistical Analysis: An ANOVA single-factor test was performed on the sediment data for both
sites at all distances to determine if there was a significant difference between the sediment
compositions at different distances. Two t-tests were also used to determine if there was a
significant difference between the coarser and finer sediment compositions of the beach vs. the
bulkhead. An alpha of 0.05 or less was used to determine significance.

Results
The data was separated into its proper Wentworth size class, then organized based on its distance
from the beach or bulkhead. For the percent composition for all distances, the grain amount for
each distances were added up to produce an overall total for each site. Percentages were then
calculated using these new grain size totals and overall sediment amount total. Sediment percent
composition for all distances was determined for both the beach and the bulkhead, shown in
Figures 5 and 6. The two T-tests comparing the composition of the coarser and finer particles
between the beach and bulkhead yielded insignificant p-values of 0.478 and 0.379 respectively,

despite the fact that bulkhead appeared to have greater total percentage of finer grain sizes
(collection tray, very fine sand, fine sand) than the beach did, consisting of 54% finer sediments
as apposed to the beach, which was only 38% finer sediment. The ANOVA single-factor test
determined a p-value of 0.014 for the sediment values of varying distances at the beach and a pvalue of 0.009 for the sediment values of varying distances at the bulkhead. In Figures 7 and 8,
the sites at the beach/bulkhead and the close 5m, there is a more varied distribution of sediment
types, as apposed to Figures 9 and 10, the farther away sampling sites of 10m and 15m, where
the sediment types tend to lean towards finer grains.

Discussion
While the pie charts of overall sediment composition of the two sites (Figures 5 and 6) seemed
to show a greater percentage of coarser sand at the beach and finer sands at the bulkhead, the TTests ran on the coarser and finer sediments of between these two sites showed no significance.
This insignificance is supported by other research data: according to a study conducted by the
Barnegat Bay National Estuary Program, bulkheads tend to have a higher amount of coarser
sands than beaches due to more turbulent water flow. According to the raw data presented in
Figures 5 and 6, the bulkhead has a higher percentage of finer sediments than the beach, which
would contradict current studies. However, the lack of significance in the comparison between
the sites shows that the overall compositions of the beach and bulkhead are actually very similar
despite their different appearance. This similarity could be due to not having enough data to
produce the desired results (the bulkhead having coarser sands than the beach), or daily tidal
changes causing a temporary transport of sediment that resulted in these unexpected composition
results. The similarity between the two sites could also be due to the closeness of the sites, and
constant wind and tidal patterns bringing similar types of sediment to both sites, or causing
similar erosion patterns (McNally and Mehta). Future studies with more sample sites at further

differences may result in more accurate data. While the overall sediment composition of the two
sites was not significantly different, an ANOVA single-factor test revealed a significant
difference in sediment composition at different distances from both the beach and bulkhead. The
four graphs showing sediment type at each distance from the beach and the bulkhead display a
shift from a variety of sediment types closer to the beach/bulkhead, to a greater abundance of
finer sands (fine, very fine, and collection tray sands) farther away from these sites. Figures 7
and 8 show a diversity of sediment types at the beach and bulkhead, and 5m away from them.
However, the farther away 10m and 15m Figures 9 and 10 demonstrate an overall shift towards
finer grain sizes for the beach and bulkhead. The greater variation of sediment particles closer to
the beach and bulkhead (shore, 5m) is likely due to the greater water turbulences (shore waves,
waves hitting the bulkhead) bringing a variety of sediment types to these natural and artificial
shorelines (Effects of Artificial). There are various reasons why finer sediments tend to be
found farther away from shorelines (10m, 15m). More abundant amounts of organic sediments
can be found farther away from the shorelines, which would increase the cohesiveness of
sediments. These smaller, far-away sediments are more stuck-together due to organic matter and
more difficult to transport, therefore allowing tides to take the less cohesive, larger sediments,
but leave the smaller sediments behind (McNally and Mehta). Additionally, some of these finer
sediments may become suspended in the water column. Because the tidal forces are not as strong
farther into the open waters of the bay as they would be at the shoreline, transporting these
suspended sediments can be more difficult, allowing them to stay and settle farther out into the
bay (Sediment Transport). These factors would account for the greater accumulation of finer
particles farther from the shore. Sediments studies are a key component of aquatic ecology and
oceanography. Not only do sediments tell what is in the system, but their transport methods and

accumulation/erosion patterns can tell a great deal about the vitality of an ecosystem, allow for
better planning of beach restoration projects, and permit more careful considerations when
building man-made structures that interact with an aquatic ecosystem.

Conclusion
The results suggest that there was not a significant difference between sediment composition of
the beach and bullhead, likely due to similar tidal and water flow patterns. The increase in finer
sediment farther away from the beach/bulkhead is likely due to the greater cohesiveness of the
finer grains making transport more difficult, while the less-cohesive, larger grains can be
transported to beaches more easily. An expansion on this study could determine patterns of
sediment transport in the Barnegat Bay, evaluate which beaches experience or are more
vulnerable to erosion, and determine the effects of bulkheads on sediment transport and beach
erosion. Understanding sediment transport and beach erosion patterns can be vital to evaluating
the health of aquatic ecosystems and better planning for combatting beach erosion.

Acknowledgements
I would like to thank the 2015 MATES oceanography class for assisting with this data collection.
I would also like to thank Dr. Wnek for supervising this study, as well as Ocean County
Vocational Technical Schools for providing the study institution and equipment.

Works Cited
Atkins,W.(n.d.).ErosionandSedimentation.RetrievedOctober20,2015,from
http://www.waterencyclopedia.com/EnGe/ErosionandSedimentation.html
EffectsofArtificialShorelines.(n.d.).RetrievedOctober20,2015,from
http://water.epa.gov/type/oceb/nep/upload/2009_05_28_estuaries_inaction_Adaptable_B
arnegatBay.pdf
McNally,W.,&Mehta,A.(n.d.).SedimentTransportinEstuaries.RetrievedOctober20,2015,
fromhttp://www.eolss.net/samplechapters/c09/E2060104.pdf
SedimentTransport.(n.d.).RetrievedOctober20,2015,from
http://www.sfu.ca/~hickin/RIVERS/Rivers4(Sedimenttransport).pdf

Figures

Figure 1. The locations of the sampling sites at the end of Tuscarora Ave. Site A represents the bulkhead, while
site B represents the beach. Samples were collected on September 25th, 2015.

Figure 2. Van Veen grab sampler used to collect

sediments (Alliance for Coastal Technologies).

Figure 3. A sediment sieve similar to the

ones used in this study. They were shaken via
a cascade shaker (geologysuperstore.com).

Figure 4. A Wentworth Grain Size chart similar to the one used in this study (University
of Texas).

Figure 5. Total sediment percent composition of all distances at the beach. There is a greater
overall percentage of coarser sands present at this site (medium-granule). However, the high
p-value denotes that there was little difference between the beach and the bulkheads
compositions. Unlike the bulkhead, the beach had granule and medium/coarse sediments.

Percent Grain Size at Beach

Granule
Very Coarse Sand
Coarse Sand

4.8 0.43 9.12

33.43

4.4

Medium/Coarse

15.94

Medium Sand
Fine Sand
Very Fine Sand

10.81

Collection Tray

21.09

Percent Grain Size at Bulkhead

Pebble
Very Coarse/Granule
4.266.412.21
26.77

Very Coarse Sand

2.48
10.69

Coarse Sand
Medium Sand
Fine Sand
Very Fine Sand

24.51

Collection Tray

22.65

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Figure 6. Total sediment percent composition of all distances at the bulkhead. There is a
greater overall percentage of finer sands present at this site (collection tray-fine sand).
However, the high p-value denotes that there was little difference between the beach and the
bulkheads compositions. Unlike the beach, the bulkhead had pebble and very coarse/granule
sediments.

Sediment Compositions (Near Shore) at the Beach and the Bulkhead

Beach
Bulkhead

Figure 7. The overall sediment composition of the beach and the bulkhead at the shoreline. For both
sites, there is a variety of sediment types at this distance, likely due to tidal forces bringing in a
variety of sediments. The ANOVA p-value of 0.014 for the beach and 0.009 for the bulkhead denotes
a significant difference in these compositions.

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Sediment Compositions (5m) at the Beach and the Bulkhead

Beach
Bulkhead

Figure 8. The overall sediment composition of the beach and the bulkhead at 5m from the shoreline.
For both sites, there is a variety of sediment types at this distance, likely due to tidal forces bringing
in a variety of sediments. The ANOVA p-value of 0.014 for the beach and 0.009 for the bulkhead
denotes a significant difference in these compositions.

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Figure 9. The overall sediment composition of the beach and the bulkhead at 10m from the
shoreline. For both sites, there starts to be a shift towards finer sediments for the overall
composition, likely due to an increase in sediment cohesiveness due to organic matter and weaker
tidal forces not being able to transport suspended particles. The ANOVA p-value of 0.014 for the
beach and 0.009 for the bulkhead denotes a significant difference in these compositions.

Sediment Compositons (10m) at the Beach and the Bulkhead

Beach
Bulkhead

13

Sediment Compositons (15m) at the Beach and the Bulkhead

Beach
Bulkhead

14

Figure 10. The overall sediment composition of the beach and the bulkhead at 15m from the
shoreline. For both sites, there is a shift towards finer sediments for the overall composition, likely
due to an increase in sediment cohesiveness due to organic matter and weaker tidal forces not being
able to transport suspended particles. The ANOVA p-value of 0.014 for the beach and 0.009 for the
bulkhead denotes a significant difference in these compositions.

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