Shorelines and Stabilization

Front

What is beach replenishment?

Back

Beach replenishment is the process of pumping sand onto eroded shorelines to restore and protect them.

Front

What characterizes a longshore current?

Back

A longshore current is characterized by water that approaches the shore at an angle and washes up and down the beach in a zigzag pattern.

Front

What is a barrier island?

Back

A barrier island is a landform that is completely surrounded by water and runs parallel to the mainland.

Front

What is a spit?

Back

A spit is an outward extension of sand that develops as a result of longshore currents moving sand down a beach.

Front

What is backwash?

Back

Backwash is the water that runs back into the ocean after a wave has broken on the shore.

Front

What is the role of longshore drift?

Back

Longshore drift is the process by which sand and sediment are transported along the coastline by the action of waves and currents.

Front

Define erosion in the context of shorelines.

Back

Erosion is the process by which natural forces, such as waves and currents, wear away rocks and sediments along the shoreline.

Front

What is a groin?

Back

A groin is a structure built out from the shore to interrupt water flow and limit beach erosion.

Front

What is the difference between a baymouth bar and a spit?

Back

A baymouth bar is a sandbar that forms across the mouth of a bay, while a spit is a sand extension that projects from the shore into the water.

Front

What causes wave refraction?

Back

Wave refraction is caused by waves approaching the shore at an angle, leading to the bending of waves as they enter shallower water.