Environmental Valuation

Procedures for valuing changes in environmental goods and services, whether or not they are traded in markets, by measuring the changes in the consumer or producer surpluses associated with these environmental goods.

Glossary of Terms

Fore Reef

The seaward side of a reef (usually coral); in places a steep slope covered with reef talus.

Swell

Wind-generated waves that have travelled out of their generating area. Swell characteristically exhibits a more regular and longer period and has flatter crests than waves within their fetch (seas).

Breaker

A wave breaking on a shore or over a REEF, etc. Breakers may be classified into four types:

COLLAPSING--breaking occurs over lower half of wave, with minimal air pocket and usually no splash-up. Bubbles and foam present.
PLUNGING--crest curls over air pocket; breaking is usually with a crash. Smooth splash-up usually follows.
SPILLING--bubbles and turbulent water spill down front face of wave. The upper 25 percent of the front face may become vertical before breaking. Breaking generally occurs over quite a distance.
SURGING--wave peaks up, but bottom rushes forward from under wave, and wave slides up beach face with little or no bubble production. Water surface remains almost plane except where ripples may be produced on the beach face during runback.

Intertidal zone (often called littoral zone)

The part of the shoreline that is submerged at high tide and exposed at low tide.

Dune Restoration

The technique of rebuilding an eroded or degraded dune through one or more various methods (sand fill, drift fencing, revegetation, etc.).

Downdrift

Flow in the direction of net longshore sediment transport.

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Environmental Valuation