ACCRETION Deposition of sediment, usually sand, which is evident by the seaward advance of a shoreline indicator, such as the high water line, berm crest, or vegetation line. Accretion causes
the beach to become wider. Opposite of erosion.

AEOLIAN Transport and deposition of sand by wind; the principal means by which sand dunes are formed.

ALONGSHORE CURRENT See LONGSHORE CURRENT.

ARMORING Placement of fixed engineering structures, typically rock, wood timbers, or concrete, on or along the shoreline to reduce coastal erosion. Armoring structures include seawalls, revetments, bulkheads, and rip rap.

BACKSHORE Generally dry portion of the beach between the berm crest and the vegetation line that is submerged only during high water levels and eroded during storm events.

BACKWASH The seaward return flow of swash on the beach face due to gravity.

BAR Submerged mound of sand that generally runs parallel to the shore and causes waves to break before reaching the beach.

BARRIER BEACH A low-lying, sandy island or spit that lies offshore and generally parallel to the mainland.

BEACH Accumulation of wave-deposited, loose sediment, usually sand, that extends from the outermost breakers to the landward limit of wave and swash action.

BEACH LOSS Volumetric loss of sand, usually measured by a loss of dry beach width.

BEACH MONITORING Periodic collection of data, such as dry beach width, to study changes over time.

BEACH NARROWING Decrease in usable (dry) beach width caused by episodic storm impact or long-term erosion.

BEACH NOURISHMENT Sand artificially placed on the beach, usually by pumping sea bottom sediments onshore, to replace that being lost alongshore or offshore. Beach nourishment projects are usually large scale, spanning many miles of shoreline to rebuild eroded beaches.

BEACH PROFILE Measurement of the elevation or height of the beach surface taken along a line that runs from the dune to the water across the beach. Profiles taken at different dates can
be compared to illustrate and quantify storm, seasonal, and longer-term changes in beach width, height, volume, and shape.

BERM Feature usually located at mid-beach and characterized by a sharp break in slope, separating the flatter backshore from the seaward-sloping foreshore.