Wave Height

The vertical distance between a crest and the preceding trough.

Glossary of Terms

Lost Beaches

Lost beaches lack a recreational beach, and lateral shoreline access is very difficult if not impossible.

Alongshore

Parallel to and near the shoreline (also referred to as longshore).

Intertidal zone (often called littoral zone)

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

Current, Longshore

The littoral current in the breaker zone that moves essentially parallel to the shore. Usually generated by waves breaking at an angle to the shoreline.

Reference Point

A specified location (in plan elevation) to which measurements are refered.

In beach material studies, a specified point within the reference zone.

Rill Marks

Tiny drainage channels in a beach caused by the flow seaward of water left in the sands of the upper part of the beach after the retreat of the tide or after the dying down of storm waves.

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Wave Height