EM 1110-2-1100 (Change 1)
31 Jul 03
BEACH BERM
A nearly horizontal part of the beach or backshore formed by the deposit of material by wave action. Some beaches
have no berms, others have one or several. (See Figure A-1)
BEACH CREST
The point representing the limit of normal HIGH TIDE wave run-up (see BERM CREST)
BEACH CUSP
See CUSP.
BEACH EROSION
The carrying away of beach materials by wave action, tidal currents, littoral currents, or wind.
BEACH FACE
The section of the beach normally exposed to the action of the wave uprush. The FORESHORE of a BEACH. (Not
synonymous with SHOREFACE.)
BEACH FILL
Material placed on a beach to renourish eroding shores, usually pumped by dredge but sometimes delivered by
trucks.
BEACH HEAD
The cliff, dune or sea wall looming above the land ward limit of the active beach
BEACH MATERIAL
Granular sediments, usually sand or shingle moved by the sea.
BEACH NOURISHMENT
See BEACH FILL.
BEACH PLAN SHAPE
The shape of the beach in plan; usually shown as a contour line, combination of contour lines or recognizable
features such as beach crest and/or the still water line
BEACH PROFILE
A cross-section taken perpendicular to a given beach contour; the profile may include the face of a dune or sea wall,
extend over the backshore, across the foreshore, and seaward underwater into the NEARSHORE zone.
BEACH RIDGE
See RIDGE, BEACH.
BEACH SCARP
See SCARP, BEACH.
Appendix A Glossary of Coastal Terminology
A-7
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