Sea Levels and Coastal Boundaries

Preface ix

1 Sea Level Dynamics 1

1.1 Short-Term Sea Level Variation (Other than Tides) 1

1.1.1 Surface Gravity Waves 1

1.1.2 Seiches 2

1.1.3 Storm Surges 3

1.1.4 Tsunamis 4

1.2 Tidal Variation and Datum Planes 5

1.2.1 Tidal Cycles 5

1.2.2 Tidal Datum Planes 11

1.3 Long-Term Changes in Sea Level 13

1.3.1 Pre-Historic Trends 13

1.3.2 Contemporary Trends 17

1.3.3 Tidal Epochs 21

1.4 Shoreline Dynamics 22

1.5 Variations in Nontidal Waters 22

2 The Public Trust Doctrine 25

2.1 Origins of the Public Trust Doctrine 25

2.2 Application of the Public Trust Doctrine in the United States 26

2.2.1 Ownership of Tidal Waters 26

2.2.2 Ownership of NonTidal Waters 28

2.2.3 Application to Adjoining Non-Navigable Areas 29

2.2.4 Floodplains Adjoining Navigable Waters 30

3 Boundaries in Public Trust Tidal Waters 33

3.1 Boundary Definitions in Various Jurisdictions 33

3.1.1 Anglo-American Common Law 33

3.1.2 North-Atlantic Low Water States 35

3.1.3 Civil Law 36

3.2 Local Tidal Data Determination 40

3.2.1 Local Variation 40

3.2.2 Tidal Data Calculations 43

3.2.2.1 Standard (Range Ratio) Method of Simultaneous Comparison 43

3.2.2.2 Example of Tidal Data Calculation (Standard Method) 45

3.2.2.3 Example of Tidal Data Calculation (Range Ratio Method) 48

3.3 Tidal Datum Line Location 49

3.4 Extent of Tidal Influence 50

4 Boundaries in Public Trust Nontidal Waters 53

4.1 River and Lake Boundary Definitions 53

4.2 Nontidal Water Boundary Determination 54

4.2.1 The Ordinary High Water Mark 54

4.2.2 The Ordinary Low Water Mark 63

4.3 Use of Government Land Office Meander Lines as Boundaries 64

4.3.1 To Meander or Not to Meander 64

4.3.2 Legal Significance of Meandering 66

4.3.3 Location of Meander Lines 67

4.3.3.1 Pertinent Instructions 67

4.3.3.2 Legal Significance of Location 68

4.4 Case Studies for Nontidal Boundaries (Cole 1997) 69

5 U.S. National and State Maritime Boundaries 75

5.1 National Maritime Boundaries 75

5.1.1 Bays 78

5.1.2 Entrance Points (Headlands) 79

5.1.3 Equidistant/Median Lines 81

5.2 State Maritime Boundaries 83

6 Boundaries for Littorial and Riparian Rights in Public Trust Waters 87

6.1 Riparian and Littoral Rights 87

6.2 Riparian Rights in Adjacent Waters 87

6.3 Riparian Rights to Newly Formed Land 94

6.4 Dealing with Avulsion or Altered Shorelines 95

References 99

Case Law Cites 99

7 Sea Levels and Coastal Boundaries Yesterday–Today–Tomorrow 101

7.1 Sea Levels and Coastal Boundaries – Yesterday 101

7.2 Sea Levels and Coastal Boundaries – Today 103

7.2.1 Long-Term Trends 103

7.2.2 Recent Trends in Sea Level 105

7.2.3 Variations in Rate of Change 110

7.2.4 Impact on Coastal Boundaries 112

7.3 Sea Levels and Coastal Boundaries – Tomorrow 112

References 113

Index 115