Modeling waves and longshore transport potential in Half Moon Bay, Grays Harbor, Washington, USA

A local-scale phase-resolving wave transformation model with CGWAVE is established in connection with a regional-scale coupled STWAVE-ADCIRC wave-current model for its application in the Half Moon Bay, Grays Harbor. Wave transformation from offshore to the harbor entrance is simulated by the STWAVE model which includes wave-current interaction. The STWAVE results provide incident wave conditions for the local-scale CGWAVE model at its outer boundary. A simple method is developed to take into account the lateral variation of wave height in constructing the model's wave boundary conditions. The model was validated for three wave condition cases which yielded good agreement with field data. The validated model was applied to predicting nearshore waves in the Half Moon Bay and longshore transport parameters along the wave breaking line for the existing condition and three engineering alternatives. A comparative analysis indicated that storm waves that have a combination of long period and large height are the most destructive to the crenulate shoreline in the Half Moon Bay; both 152 m jetty extension (Alt. 2) and diffraction mound enlargement (Alt. 3) would significantly reduce breaking wave height and longshore transport potential in the southwest corner of Half Moon Bay.