Glossary
323
GLOSSARY
Accretion : Accumulation of sand or other beach material at a point due to
natural action of waves, currents and wind. A build-up of the beach.
Alongshore : Parallel to and near the shoreline ; same as LONGSHORE.
Backhoe : Excavator similar to a power shovel except that the bucket faces the
operator and is pulled toward him.
Backshore : The zone of the shore or beach lying between the foreshore and the
coastline and acted upon by waves only during severe storms, especially
when combined with exceptionally high water.
Bar : Fully or partly submerged mound of sand, gravel, or other unconsolidated
material built on the bottom in shallow water by waves and currents.
Beach : The zone of sedimentary material that extends landward from the low
water line to the place where there is marked change in material or form, or
to the line of permanent vegetation (usually the effective limit of storm
waves). The seaward limit of a beach - tmless otherwise specified - is the
mean low water line. A beach includes foreshore and backshore.
Beach fill : Sand or gravel placed on a beach by mechanical methods.
Beach, perched : see PERCHED BEACH
Berm : A nearly horizontal part of tile beach or backshore formed at the high
water line by waves depositing material. Some beaches have no berms, others
have one or several.
Bluff : A high, steep bank composed of erodible materials.
Bluff : High, steep bank at the water's edge. In common usage, a bank composed
primarily of oil. See CLIFF.
Boulders : Large stones with diameters over 10 inches. Larger than COBBLES.
Breaker : A wave as it spills, plunges, or collapses on a shore, reef, sandbar,
rock, natural obstruction, or man-made structure.
Breaking Depth : Stillwater depth where waves break.
Breaker Zone : Area offshore where waves break.
323
GLOSSARY
Accretion : Accumulation of sand or other beach material at a point due to
natural action of waves, currents and wind. A build-up of the beach.
Alongshore : Parallel to and near the shoreline ; same as LONGSHORE.
Backhoe : Excavator similar to a power shovel except that the bucket faces the
operator and is pulled toward him.
Backshore : The zone of the shore or beach lying between the foreshore and the
coastline and acted upon by waves only during severe storms, especially
when combined with exceptionally high water.
Bar : Fully or partly submerged mound of sand, gravel, or other unconsolidated
material built on the bottom in shallow water by waves and currents.
Beach : The zone of sedimentary material that extends landward from the low
water line to the place where there is marked change in material or form, or
to the line of permanent vegetation (usually the effective limit of storm
waves). The seaward limit of a beach - tmless otherwise specified - is the
mean low water line. A beach includes foreshore and backshore.
Beach fill : Sand or gravel placed on a beach by mechanical methods.
Beach, perched : see PERCHED BEACH
Berm : A nearly horizontal part of tile beach or backshore formed at the high
water line by waves depositing material. Some beaches have no berms, others
have one or several.
Bluff : A high, steep bank composed of erodible materials.
Bluff : High, steep bank at the water's edge. In common usage, a bank composed
primarily of oil. See CLIFF.
Boulders : Large stones with diameters over 10 inches. Larger than COBBLES.
Breaker : A wave as it spills, plunges, or collapses on a shore, reef, sandbar,
rock, natural obstruction, or man-made structure.
Breaking Depth : Stillwater depth where waves break.
Breaker Zone : Area offshore where waves break.