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Puget Sound Nearshore Environments
Accreting Beach
Before Development
Puget Sound beaches have diverse
plant and animal communities that inhabit a wide range of tidally
and geologically influenced habitats. Large pieces of debris,
such as logs, are deposited on the beaches by seasonal storms.
This debris cycles important nutrients into the system and provides
habitat for marine life.
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format. File size 462 Kb, appx download time, 2.6 min
using a 28.8 Kbps modem.
After Development
Beach processes are affected
by the construction of shoreline armoring structures such as
bulkheads and docks. These structures can alter the dissipation
of wave energy, reduce productivity by blocking sunlight from
reaching vegetation, and prevent eroding sediment from reaching
nearshore habitat.
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format. File size 402 Kb, appx download time, 2.2 min
using a 28.8 Kbps modem.
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Eroding Bluff, Before and After Development |
