The relationship between sand size and beach‐face slope

A series of diagrams is presented which illustrates the variability of sand size and beach‐face slope and the relationship between the two as observed on Pacific Coast beaches of the United States. As a means of standardizing sampling procedures, a “reference point” (the part of the beach face subject to wave action at mid‐tide level) was adopted, which permitted satisfactory comparisons of beach characteristics. Distribution of sand sizes along and across beaches is described, and slope changes with beach growth and erosion are illustrated. It is shown that beach‐face slope is principally controlled by two factors: (1) the size of the sand and (2) the intensity of wave action.