Glossary

Low-lying sand regions on the landward side of sand dunes. Often covered with salt-tolerant grasses and shrubs.

Marsh formed behind a coastal barrier, often containing significant coarse sediment that has washed in from the seaward side.

The process of filling a cavity with soil, gravel rock or other material of choice.

The seaward return of water following the uprush of the waves. For any given tide stage, the point of farthest return seaward of the backrush is known as the limit of backrush.

Zone of the shore or beach including the berm or berms which lies between the foreshore and the dunes or bluffs. The backshore is acted upon by waves only during severe storms, especially when combined with exceptionally high water.

The low-lying lands adjacent to a stream that become flooded during periods of high water.

Wire used for the purpose of tying down live brush mattresses and tying together live brush fascines. Typically, 10 to 20 gage non-galvanized steel wire is used.

The part of the soil next to a stream, lake or body of water where the soil elevation adjacent to the water is higher than the water level.

Collapse of a mass of bank material into a stream channel.

The discharge corresponding to the stage at which the natural channel is full. This flow, on average, has a recurrence of 1.5 years. It is expressed as the momentary maximum or instantaneous peak flow rather than the mean daily discharge.

The mean depth of flow at the bankfull stage, determined as the cross- sectional area divided by the bankfull surface width.

The surface width of the stream measured at the bankfull stage.

A submerged or emerged mound of sand, gravel or shell material built on the ocean floor in shallow water by waves and currents.

A type of coastal barrier completely detached from the mainland. Barrier spits may become barrier islands if their connection to the mainland is severed by creation of a permanent inlet. The barrier island represents a broad barrier beach, commonly sufficiently above high tide to have dunes, vegetated zones, and wetland areas.

A bay roughly parallel to the coast and separated from the open ocean by barrier islands or spits.

A type of coastal barrier which extend into open water and are attached to the mainland at only one (1) end. They can develop into a bay barrier if they grow completely across a bay or other aquatic habitat. On the other hand, bay barriers can become spits if an inlet is created.

Normal stream flow resulting from ground water drainage.

The measurement of depths of water; also information derived from such measurements.

A recess in the shore or an inlet of a sea between two (2) capes or headlands, not as large as a gulf but larger than a cove.

A type of coastal barrier that connects two (2) headlands, and enclose a pond, marsh, or other aquatic habitat. The term by mount bar or bay bar are considered to be synonymous.

A zone of unconsolidated material that extends landward from the low water line to the place where there is marked change in material or physiographic form, or to the line of permanent vegetation (usually the effective limit of storm waves.)

See Dune.

That area of shoreline lying between the swash zone and the dune system.

The carrying away of beach materials by wave action, tidal currents, littoral currents or wind.

The section of the beach normally exposed to the action of wave uprush. The foreshore of a beach.

The supply of sediment by mechanical means to supplement sand on an existing beach or to build up an eroded beach.

The bottom of a channel, creek, river, stream, or other body of water.

Sediment moving along or near the streambed and frequently in contact with the streambed.

The gradient from the horizontal plane of the channel bottom.

The width of the full lateral extent of the bankfull channel measured perpendicular to the fall of the valley.

A horizontal surface or step in a slope.

A change in the direction of a stream channel in plan view.

In a barrier beach system, the relatively flat, sandy area between the berm crest and the dunes formed by the deposit of material by wave action. Some beaches have no berm, others have one (1) or several.

The seaward limit of a berm.

The application of vegetative practices combined with structural practices to provide a system of practices that create a stable site condition.

Caused or produced by living beings.

Material placed on a streambank or lakeshore to cover eroding soil.

A temporary sediment control barrier formed around a storm drain inlet by the use of standard concrete block and gravel, to filter sediment from storm water entering the inlet prior to stabilization of the contributing area soils, while allowing use of the inlet for storm water conveyance.

The removal of sand from a dune by wind drift after protective dune vegetation has been lost. Unless repaired promptly, the area of blowout will increase in size and could lead to the development of a migrating sand dune and its associated problems.

A high, steep bank or cliff.

Wetland in northern Europe and North America with a high water table and little significant flow of water in or out of the area; consisting of peat deposit and supporting the growth of acid-loving plants, especially, Sphagnum.

Periodically flooded lowland adjacent to rivers and streams, often forested Coastal plain. Region of sandy, peaty soil supporting sparse growth longleaf pine; historically, subject to periodic fires; from Virginia south through the Carolinas; natural habitat of many specialized plants, such as Venus-flytrap (Dionaea muscipula), pitcher plants (Sarracenia spp.), and numerous orchids.

Sediment particle having a diameter greater than 10 inches.

A stream that forms an interlacing network of branching and recombing channels separated by branch islands or channel bars.

Consists of alternative layers of live branch cuttings and compacted backfill to repair small localized slumps and holes in slopes.

A linear, floating or mound-like coastal engineering structure constructed offshore parallel to the shoreline to protect a shoreline, harbor or anchorage from storm waves.

Piles of slash material piled at the toe slope of a road or at the outlets of culverts, turnouts, dips and water bars. Also should be installed at the foot of fills if the fills are located inside 150 feet of a defined stream channel.

A live construction that places living branches close together to form a mattress-like cover over the ground. This mattress is intended to grow and protect the bank from erosion.

Live branch cuttings laid in crisscross fashion on benches between successive lifts of soil.

Cuttings or branches are layered between successive lifts of soil fill to construct a reinforced slope.

An appropriately managed and unalienated zone of unconsolidated land between beach and development, within which coastline fluctuations and hazards can be accommodated in order to minimize damage to the development.

Anchored and embedded stems can act as buttress piles or arch abutments t counteract downslope shear forces.

Hydraulic or mechanical movement of sand, from an area of accretion to a downdrift area of erosion, across a barrier to natural sand transport such as an inlet or harbor entrance. The hydraulic movement may include natural movement as well as movement caused by man.