Coastal Erosion The wearing of land and the removal of beach or dune sediment often caused by wind, waves, tides, drainage, and storm-surge.
Escarpment: A steep slope separating an area of land, usually resulting from erosion or faulting.
Groins: A structure, usually perpendicular to the shore, designed to stabilize a beach by trapping near shore sand drift.
King Tide: A non-scientific term used to describe the highest seasonal tides that occur each year. These tides occur naturally and are typically caused when a spring tide (when the sun, moon, and earth align during a new and full moon, increasing tide ranges) takes place when the moon is closest to Earth during the 28-day elliptical orbit (known as a perigee).
Revetment: A sloping structure built along an escarpment or in front of a bulkhead to protect the shoreline or bulkhead from erosion.
Revetted Seawall: A seawall, typically made of concrete, reinforced with a rock revetment.
Seawall: A type of retaining wall designed to withstand normal beachfront conditions and wave forces.