Coastal erosion is the removal of material at the coast causing the shoreline to retreat landward. The processes include not only the work of the sea, but also that of the wind, migrating river mouths and tidal inlets, coastal landslides and tectonics. Coastal erosion occurs as a short-term fluctuation in the shoreline and a long-term trend of shoreline retreat. Coastal erosion can also be caused, or exacerbated, by man-made structures placed in the coastal environment, which interfere with natural coastal processes.
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Coastal inundation is the flooding of low-lying coastal areas by seawater. This occurs when storm surges or heavy swells - often coinciding with high tides - overtop beach crests. Percolation through beach dunes can add to the volume of inundation flood water. Beach front properties can also suffer from direct wave attack causing damage and localised flooding.
Low-lying areas, which experience coastal erosion, can also be at greater risk of coastal inundation as natural barriers are weakened.
Healthy dune systems, gravel barriers and coastal wetlands and marshes can all help protect inland areas from erosion and inundation by buffering wave energy, slowing water velocities and preventing the transport of coastal sediments. Often where coastal development has occurred these natural systems are degraded or lost.