This book is intended for property owners whose land is located on sheltered waters protected from direct action of open ocean waves. As a reader, you may be personally concerned about some aspect of shore protection because your house or cottage is threatened by continued erosion or a sandy beach you once enjoyed as disappeared. Whatever your personal circumstances, it is probably small comfort to know that your plight is shared by many others. In trying to solve your problem, you may have sought the advice of others or observed the means they have used to combat erosion problems. Or, you may have been approached by a local firm trying to sell either construction services or some shore protection device. While such resources may sometimes achieve satisfactory results, you and a majority of others are probably reading this because you have been unable to solve your problems and have suffered substantial capital losses in the process. If such is the case, then this report is for you.

The purpose of this report is to familiarize engineers and contractors with various establishedmethods of low cost shore protection. It is written for the individual who is knowledgeable in generalcivil engineering design and construction, but not a specialist in coastal engineering or shorelineprotection. This report can be used without other references, but many topics are discussed with onlyminimal detail, so some additional reading may be necessary to gain a better understanding of the text.The Suggested Readingsection at the end of the report lists a full range of readily available books, reports, and publications that are recommended for additional background study

Like ocean beaches, sheltered coastal areas experience land loss from erosion and sea level rise. In response, property owners often install hard structures such as bulkheads as a way to prevent further erosion, but these structures cause changes in the coastal environment that alter landscapes, reduce public access and recreational opportunities, diminish natural habitats, and harm species that depend on these habitats for shelter and food. Mitigating Shore Erosion Along Sheltered Coasts recommends coastal planning efforts and permitting policies to encourage landowners to use erosion control alternatives that help retain the natural features of coastal shorelines.

"This brochure has four main objectives. First, it briefly presents the natural processes that affect your shoreline property and the factors involved in erosion and erosion control. Second, it gives you information on types of low cost erosion control measures available to proerty owners whose waterfronts are threatened ... The third objective of the brochure is to help you with planning for shoreline erosion control ... Fourth, the brochure is designed to give you sources for further information and assistance in making decisions and implementing them."--Page 3.

This new Encyclopedia of Coastal Science stands as the latest authoritative source in the field of coastal studies, making it the standard reference work for specialists and the interested lay person. Unique in its interdisciplinary approach. This Encyclopedia features contributions by 245 well-known international specialists in their respective fields and is abundantly illustrated with line-drawings and photographs. Not only does this volume offer an extensive number of entries, it also includes various appendices, an illustrated glossary of coastal morphology and extensive bibliographic listings.