Long Shore Drift
By Gavin Davies
What is Long Shore Drift
Sand Particles are moved along the coastline through longshore drift. Longshore drift moves in the direction of the waves hitting the beach. Groynes can be built to stop the flow of longshore drift, but inevitably some sand and gravel can move around the groyne. Longshore drift creates spits which are formed where the line of the coast changes, such as a river .
Gryones
A groyne is a rigid structure built from an ocean shore, or from a bank (in rivers) that interrupts water flow and limits the movement of sand In the ocean, groynes create beaches, or prevent them being washed away by longshore drift. Ocean groynes run generally perpendicular to the shore, extending from the upper foreshore or beach into the water. Groynes are generally made of wood, concrete, or rock piles, and placed in groups.
Longshore Drift