Sediment Cells
Sediment cells, also known as littoral cells, are reaches of shoreline that encompass the intertidal and nearshore movement of sediment. A sediment cell basically consists of zones of erosion (e.g. shoreline bluffs), transport (e.g. beaches), and deposition (e.g. spit). Cells are relatively self-contained because beyond the zone of deposition, some sediment may be lost to a nearby inlet or water body. The nearshore environment is intimately affected by riparian zone and upland land use, and human alteration. Management decisions along the shoreline often are done on an ad hoc basis, considering individual properties or adjacent properties, at best. Anthropogenic influences often cause unintended consequences, and advancing our knowledge of sediment transport and distribution in shoreline systems, and identifying sediment cells in Chesapeake Bay and tributaries is a necessary step to protect and better manage sediment and sediment-dependent resources.
Publications
- Herman, Julie and Y. Joseph Zhang. 2015. Development of littoral cells for shoreline management in the Chesapeake Bay. (9 pg) In: Proceedings of Coastal Sediments 2015. P. Wang, J.D. Rosati, and J. Cheng (eds). May 11-15, 2015. San Diego, Ca. World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1142/9789814689977_0143