Report on the beach dynamics, geology, and oil spill susceptibility of the Gulf of Alaska coastline in Glacier Bay National Monument -- Sea Otter Creek to Icy Point

Abstract

Observations of the Gulf of Alaska coastline in Glacier Bay National Monument were conducted between June 1975 and July 1977 to: (1) characterize the beach environment, and (2) assess the effects of an oil spill (fig. 1). These included overflights in June 1975, June 1976, July 1976, January 1977, May 1977, and July 1977 when photographic observations were made from small fixed-wing aircraft and field observations in June 1975, July 1976, January 1977, and July 1977. Field observations consisted of measuring beach morphology, sediment distribution, and vegetation type, and characterization of beach dynamics between Fairweather Glacier and La Perouse Glacier. Ninety sediment samples were collected and analyzed for grain size in the Menlo Park USGS sediment laboratory. Beach morphology at selected sites was determined by profiling from the limit of storm deposited debris (mostly wood) to the surf zone. In 1976, 30 profiles were made, ten of which were revisited in 1977. In all 55 profiles were measured. A qualitative estimate of the effects of an oil spill for the Monument coastline between Sea Otter Creek and Icy Point as well as each of the profile stations has been made based on field observations and a susceptibility scheme by Hayes and Owens (Hayes et al., 1976; Owens, 1977).