The areal association of Tar-Pamlico Estuarine shoreline types and shoreline land use / by Gary H. Wilfong.

Author/creator Wilfong, Gary H. author.
Other author Stephenson, Richard A., degree supervisor.
Other author East Carolina University. Department of Geography.
Format Theses and dissertations
Production1977.
Description117 pages, 17 leaves of plates : illustrations, maps (9 folded) ; 28 cm
Supplemental ContentAccess via ScholarShip
Subjects
Estuarine oceanography.
Shorelines.
Pamlico River (N.C.)

Summary The purpose of this investigation is to show the areal association between types of shorelines and shoreline land use. Field observations indicated the presence of a variety of shoreline features and land use functions. Measurements were made of randomly sampled shorelines to determine a shoreline classification system. Four distinct types of shorelines were identified using beach profile measurements. The spatial distribution of the various shoreline types showed that the Type I shorelines .are more predominant along the north shore and Chocowinity Bay. Type II shorelines are randomly distributed throughout the estuary. The predominance of the Type III and IV shorelines on the south shore can be attributed, at least in part, to the Suffolk Scarp and the regional dip of rock strata. Observations were also made of the estuarine shoreline land use. Five categories of land use activities were used. Their spatial distribution shows that the north shore is more developed than the south shore. Residential areas are, in most cases, clustered. This clustering tendency is demonstrated by the comparison of the housing density of the entire shoreline with the density of those areas considered as residential. The Texasgulf complex, located on the southern shore, is the only form of industrial land use in the study area. Recreational and farming activity is scattered along both shorelines. A contingency table was constructed from a sample of the two spatial distributions. A statistical analysis of the data from the contingency table was accomplished using the Chi-square test. The results of this test is significant at the 99 percent confidence level. The null hypothesis that there is no relationship between the distributions was rejected. This suggests that an areal association exists. An interpretation of the test means that the shoreline residents recognize that some shorelines are more favorable for development than others That can be, at least in part, substantiated by personal interviews. These interviews suggest that most residents were aware of developmental problems. Unfortunately, the awareness of some shoreline residents was not determined until after their property was purchased and most had already suffered property loss due to high water or erosion. Newer residents are benefiting from the experience of others, as homes are either being built on pilings at higher elevations, or are being protected by a variety of shoreline protection devices. This investigation determined the degree of vulnerability of the nine natural segments using data from the Shoreline Erosion Inventory in conjunction with the housing density and total percentage of Types I and II shorelines. Location is also an important consideration because of storm direction, fetch, wave energy and storm tides. The combination of these variables will, no doubt, be useful as an aid in determining those areas that will be least effected by storm damage in the future, or those areas where development is more favorable.
General note"A thesis presented to the faculty of the Department of Geography ... in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts in Geography."
General noteAdvisor: Richard A. Stephenson
Dissertation noteM.A. East Carolina University 1977
Bibliography noteIncludes bibliographical references (leaves 112-117).

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