Effects of Off-Road Vehicles on the Sediments of Hatches Harbor Cape Cod National Seashore

摘要

The Provincetown Spit on the tip of Cape Cod consists of marine and eolian sand derived from the Gulf of Maine and from glacial deposits to the south. This study examined the natural and off road vehicles-induced sedimentation patterns within Hatches Harbor, a typical embayment. Velocity and water level for tidal cycles were measured outside and within Hatches Harbor. Sediment samples were collected at 195 points on a grid over much of the sandy area of Hatches Harbor. The major trend in the pattern of sediment dispersal within Hatches Harbor is the movement of the relatively finer sediment toward the rear of the area, leaving very coarse 'lag' sand at the ocean side.