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.

In 1968, the 90th Congress authorized this national appraisal of shore erosion and shore protection. To satisfy the purposes of the authorizing legislation, a family of 12 related reports has been published. They are: Regional inventory reports; Shore protection guidelines; Shore management guidelines; and Report on the national shoreline study. This report presents an inventory of the physical characteristics, historical changes, and ownership and use of the coastal shorelines of Washington and Oregon, including major bays and estuaries.