Development Page--Not for Official Use

Understanding Coastal Processes

Erosion is a loss of material. In the case of beach erosion, sand is lost from a shoreline. Defining erosion along a stretch of shore is a bit tricky in that one beach's erosion is often another beach's accretion. In other words, sand lost on one beach may be eroded and transported downdrift to be deposited on another beach. Therefore, one must be specific about the area where the erosion is occuring when descibing it. Additionally, erosion may be cyclical in that material lost offshore during one season can be reclaimed onshore during a subsequent season or weather event.

Accretion is the addition of material to a shore. Typically this results in a wider beach or other habitat that extends further out into the water than it did previously.

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