John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study

Status Report

May 4th, 2021

John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study
Ping Wang, Jun Cheng, Charles Vickery, and Elizabeth Royer

• Goals and Tasks

• Literature Review
• Field Measurements
• Numerical Modeling
• Discussion on Solution Alternatives
• Summary and Discussion
John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study
• Goals:
– Understanding the causes of the sedimentation along
the northern side of the channel
– Examining the reason for recent increased rate of
sedimentation, if exist
– Collaborating with stakeholders and decision makers to
develop and evaluate various mitigation strategies
– Recommending an optimal mitigation measure
• Tasks:
• Task 1: Literature Research: discuss in some details here.
– Time-series aerial photos;
– Engineering History;
• Task 2: Analysis of data collected by USF-CRL and others: discuss briefly
– Wave and current field of the JP-BP system;
– Time series bathymetry surveys by USF-CRL since 2010;
• Task 3: Constructing a numerical model using the CMS (Coastal Modeling
System) developed by USACE: discuss briefly
– Modifying the existing USF-CRL John’s Pass and Blind Pass CMS model;
– Calibration and Verification runs;
– Sensitivity test runs.
• Tasks:
• Task 4: Modest field measurements:
– Detailed survey of the land boundary (for the CMS model) at the project site;
– Detailed survey of the sand body at the project site; will repeat every 2-3
months : discuss in some details
– Tidal flow measurements at the project site.
• Task 5: Establishing a calibrated and verified numerical model: discuss briefly
– Incorporating the most up-to-date bathymetry;
– Accurately defining land boundary at the project site;
– Exploring optimal ways of representing riprap, pilings, boats and boat docks.
• Task 6: A series of tidal flow modeling under various bathymetry conditions:
discuss briefly
– With emerged sand body;
– With various extents of sand removal;
• Tasks:
• Task 7: Interaction of flow field with bridge and marina pilings: discuss in some
details
– Flow field with and without the bridge;
– Interaction of flow field with boats, boat basin, and pilings.
• Task 8: a series of wave modeling: discuss briefly
– Schematic wave modeling to examine favorable conditions that would result
in energetic waves at the project site;
– Modeling of wave field based on statistical conditions;
• Task 9: Summary of findings from Tasks 1 through 8 and TAC “solution”
meeting: on going
– Presenting comprehensive results from Tasks 1 through 8;
– Discussing with TAC focusing on the potential solution options;
– Input from the stakeholders (this meeting).
• Tasks:

• Task 10: Various solution alternatives and discussion with TAC and
stakeholders: on going
• Task 11: Final Report
John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study
Time-series aerial photos and engineering history

John’s Pass: 1926

No major engineering
activities.

Just before the bridge

construction.

Approximate location of the marina

 John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study
Time-series aerial photos and engineering history
John’s Pass: 1942
First bridge constructed.

Madeira Beach groins (2)

installed 1934.
 John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study
Time-series aerial photos and engineering history
John’s Pass: 1945
Similar to 1942

Hurricane impact in 1945.

 John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study
Time-series aerial photos and engineering history
John’s Pass: 1951
Finger channel
construction.
Marina construction ?
 John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study
• Time-series aerial photos and engineering history
John’s Pass: 1957
Finger channel construction!!!
Marina visible.
Madeira Beach groin field (37)
constructed.
 John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study
• Time-series aerial photos and engineering history
John’s Pass: 1960
JP dredged in 1960 (94,000cy)
Sand placed on the south flank of
the ebb shoal (later formed the
O’Brien’s lagoon)
Dredge pit is visible.
 John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study
• Time-series aerial photos and engineering history
John’s Pass: 1962
North jetty constructed in 1961 JP
dredged in 1961 (30,000cy)
Sand placed directly north of the
inlet
 John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study
• Time-series aerial photos and engineering history
John’s Pass: 1969
JP became a Federal channel (1964)
920 ft revetment along the south side (1966)
JP dredged 1966 (78,000cy) placed offshore
More revetment along south side (1968)
New bridge construction started
 John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study
• Time-series aerial photos and engineering history
John’s Pass: 1971
New bridge, seaward of the old one,
completed
O’Brian’s bar attached to TI shoreline
 John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study
• Time-series aerial photos and engineering history
John’s Pass: 1973
O’Brian’s bar attached to TI shoreline
“Nothing new”
 John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study
• Time-series aerial photos and engineering history
John’s Pass: 1975
“Nothing new”
 John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study
• Time-series aerial photos and engineering history
John’s Pass: 1976
“Nothing new”
 John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study
• Time-series aerial photos and engineering history
John’s Pass: 1980
O’Brian’s lagoon filled in
“Nothing new”
 John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study
• Time-series aerial photos and engineering history
John’s Pass: 1984
JP dredged in 1981 (53,500 cy), sand
placed on Sunshine Beach.
 John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study
• Time-series aerial photos and engineering history
John’s Pass: 1990
North jetty re-constructed (extended or
sand tightened?) 1987
JP dredged 1988, 380,000cy channel
and ebb shoal, placed on Sand Key
 John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study
• Time-series aerial photos and engineering history
John’s Pass: 1993
JP dredged 1991, 56,000cy, placed on
Sunshine Beach
 John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study
• Time-series aerial photos and engineering history
John’s Pass:
1998 (Google
earth photos
since 1995)
Some sand at the
boat area.
 John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study
• Time-series aerial photos and engineering history
John’s Pass: 2002
JP dredged in 2000
South Jetty extended in
2000. (last structure)
Some sand at the boat area.
 John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study
• Time-series aerial photos and engineering history
John’s Pass: 2004
Some sand at the boat area.
“Nothing new”
 John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study
• Time-series aerial photos and engineering history
John’s Pass: 2007
Some sand at the boat area.
New bridge construction started in
2006.
 John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study
• Time-series aerial photos and engineering history
2010 John’s Pass: 2010
Considerable amount of sand at
the boat area.
New bridge construction nearly
completed.
JP dredged in 2010
 John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study
• Time-series aerial photos and engineering history
John’s Pass: 2015
Considerable amount of sand
at the boat area.
New bridge construction
completed.
 John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study
• Time-series aerial photos and engineering history
John’s Pass: 2018
Considerable amount of sand at
the boat area.
JP channel dredged in 2018.
 John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study
• Summary based on observations from time-series aerial photos
Before 1926: natural inlet, continued inlet development after its open in 1848.
 1926 – 1950: before marina installation:
 the shoreline along the channel interior appeared to be mostly natural, although the seawall
might have been constructed, a strip of sandy beach distributed along the channel bank.
 A sand body existed at and landward of the inlet entrance.
 1950 - 1960: after marina installation:
 The marina extended across and under the first John’s Pass Bridge
 A considerable sand body existed just seaward of the marina, to the seaward edge of the
marina as seen on the 1957 photo (similar to the condition today).
 1960 to mid 1990s: after the construction of north jetty in 1960
 It appears that the interior of the channel (i.e., the sand pile seen on 1957 photo)
was dredged during the initial construction of the north jetty.
 Channel interior and the marina were mostly “sand free (i.e., cannot be seen from
the aerial photos)” during this period.
 Mid 1990s to present: sand accumulation along the northern side of the channel
become emerged near the marina.
John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study: USF bathymetry data

USF Bathymetry data: focusing on the ebb shoal,

coverage in the channel and near the bridge varies.

2010 pre dredging

2010 post dredging
2011
2014
2018
2019
2020
John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study: USF bathymetry data

2020 data
John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study: USF bathymetry data

2020 data
John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study: USF bathymetry data

2014 data
John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study: USF bathymetry data

2014 data
John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study: USF bathymetry data

Red: 2018 data

Blue: 2019 data

John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study: USF bathymetry data

2020 bathymetry
John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study: USF bathymetry data

2014 bathymetry
John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study: USF bathymetry data

Difference map 2020-2014

John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study: USF bathymetry data

Difference map 2020-2014

 John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study
• Summary based on time series bathymetry surveys

The spatial coverage at our area of interest is limited due to the boat
docks, bridge, and fishermen, etc.

The volume calculations have large uncertainties.

 Inlet management study for John’s Pass & Blind Pass
• John’s Pass Engineering History & corresponding morphodynamics

 Before 1926: natural inlet, continued inlet development after its open in 1848.
 1926 – late 1960s: substantial engineering activities, especially hard structures
 Constructions of causeways and bridges
 Finger channel dredge and fill
 Reduction of tidal prism due to dredge and fill
 Construction and inlet jetties and groin field on the adjacent beaches
 Large beach variations in the vicinity of the inlet
 Mid 1960s - 1970s: nearshore placement, formation & evolution of O’Brian’s
Lagoon
 Late 1960s to present: mostly soft engineering, minor hard structure extension
 Frequent ebb shoal dredging
 Frequent beach nourishment on Treasure Island and Sand Key
 Sand bypassing and attachment point by natural processes
 Inlet management study for John’s Pass & Blind Pass
• Field Measurement Methods:
– Bathymetry
• multi-beam and single beam in shallow areas, RTK GPS for positions
– Wave conditions:
• RDI ADCP wave monitor at the seaward boundary (~7 km offshore)
• Sontek Triton PUV wave gage just seaward of closure depth
– Tide conditions
• ADCP wave monitor at the seaward boundary (~7 km offshore)
• Stilling well tide stations at 6 back-bay locations
– Flow field
• Upward looking ADCP in the main channels of JP and BP
• Side-looking ADCP across the main channels at JP and BP
• Ship-mount downward looking ADCP at numerous locations
•
Inlet management study for John’s Pass & Blind Pass
Field
Measurement
Locations
 Inlet management study for John’s Pass & Blind Pass
Bathymetry
Coverage:

Note: ebb shoal

coverage is not
included here
 Inlet management study for John’s Pass & Blind Pass
• Depth-averaged velocity in John’s Pass Channel
John’s Pass Channel
Sedimentation Study
Grid construction: current

Offshore: 320X320m (1050ft)

Nearshore and ebb shoal: 20X20
(66 ft)
Inlet channel: 10X10 (33 ft)
Project area: 2.5X2.5 m (8.2 ft)
John’s Pass Channel
Sedimentation Study
Grid construction:
bathymetry
John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study

Current Grid
construction
Offshore:
320X320m
(1050ft)
Nearshore and
ebb shoal:
20X20 (66 ft)
Inlet channel:
10X10 (33 ft)
Project area:
2.5X2.5 m (8.2 ft)
 John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study

Current Grid
construction
Offshore:
320X320m
(1050ft)
Nearshore and
ebb shoal:
20X20 (66 ft)
Inlet channel:
10X10 (33 ft)
Project area:
2.5X2.5m(8.2ft)
John’s Pass
Channel
Sedimentation
Study:

Additional data
collection to
modify the
existing model
for the channel
sedimentation
study
John’s Pass Channel
Sedimentation Study
 John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study

Wave Grid
construction:

Offshore:
20X20 m (66 ft)
Inlet channel
and project
area: 5X5 m
(16 ft)
John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study

Wave Grid
construction:

Offshore: 20X20
(66 ft)
Inlet channel
and project area:
5X5 m (16 ft)
John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study: Modeled flow field
John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study: Modeled flow field
John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study: Modeled peak
ebb
John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study: Modeled peak
flood
John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study
Modeled peak ebb – without bridge
John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study
Modeled peak flood – without bridge
 John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study
Influence of bridge piling to flow field: peak ebb flow

+: stronger
with bridge

-: stronger
without bridge
 John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study
Influence of bridge piling to flow field: average ebb flow
+: stronger
with bridge

-: stronger
without bridge
 John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study
Influence of bridge piling to flow field: peak flood flow

+: stronger
with bridge

-: stronger
without bridge
 John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study
Influence of bridge piling to flow field: average flood flow

+: stronger
with bridge

-: stronger
without bridge
John’s Pass Channel Sedimentation Study: Wave modeling
Input wave:

average of top 20%,

Hsig=1.0m, Tp=5.5 s

Three angles:
255
255, 225, 210.

Five water levels

relative to MSL
-0.9 m, -0.6 m, -0.3 m, 225
0 m, 0.3 m, 0.6 m, 0.9 m 210
 Input wave:
Hsig=1.0m, Tp=5.5 s 225
Angles: 255, 225, 210.
Water level:-0.3 m MSL

255

210
Influences of boat docks and boats to the flow field and sand accumulation:

The influences are not significant

because:

1) They are located landward of

the sand accumulation.
2) The flow is weaker as
compared to main channel.
3) The pilings are small relative to
the cross-sectional area.
4) The boats are floating with
small influences on the cross-
sectional area.

5) Field observations also support

the above
• Summary:
• Tasks 1 – 8 are mostly completed

• Task 9: Summary of findings from Tasks 1 through 8 and TAC “solution”

meeting: on going.
– Presenting comprehensive results from Tasks 1 through 8;
– Discussing with TAC focusing on the potential solution options;
– Input from the stakeholders (this meeting).

Task 10: Various solution alternatives and discussion with TAC and
stakeholders: