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High water mark

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73: 45: 89: 57: 381:(1995), U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 2499, p. 260, stating: Documentation of notable coastal floods provides scientists and flood-plain managers with useful data and technical information for an improved understanding of the hazard and for improved management of flood-prone areas. Of particular importance is documentation of the duration of flooding (and rates of rise and recession of floodwaters), maximum flood elevations and depths, and delineation of the extent of storm-surge flooding. 128:, but high water marks may reflect an all-time high, an annual high (highest level to which water rose that year) or the high point for some other division of time. Knowledge of the high water mark for an area is useful in managing the development of that area, particularly in making preparations for flood surges. High water marks from floods have been measured for planning purposes since at least as far back as the civilizations of ancient 324: 105: 293:
indicated by physical characteristics such as a clear, natural line impressed on the bank, shelving, changes in the character of soil, destruction of terrestrial vegetation, the presence of litter and debris, or other appropriate means that consider the characteristics of the surrounding areas. For the purposes of Section 404 of the
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gives Congress the authority to legislate for waterways, and the high water mark is used to determine the geographic extent of that authority. Federal regulations (33 CFR 328.3(e)) define the "ordinary high water mark" (OHWM) as "that line on the shore established by the fluctuations of water and
132:. It is a common practice to create a physical marker indicating one or more of the highest water marks for an area, usually with a line at the level to which the water rose, and a notation of the date on which this high water mark was set. This may be a free-standing flood level 139:
A high water mark is not necessarily an actual physical mark, but it is possible for water rising to a high point to leave a lasting physical impression such as floodwater staining. A landscape marking left by the high water mark of ordinary tidal action may be called a
309:, and other federal agencies to determine the geographical extent of their regulatory programs. Likewise, many states use similar definitions of the OHWM for the purposes of their own regulatory programs. 270:, the high water mark that can be expected to be produced by a body of water in non-flood conditions. The ordinary high water mark may have legal significance and is often being used to demarcate 277:. The ordinary high water mark has also been used for other legal demarcations. For example, a 1651 analysis of laws passed by the English Parliament notes that for persons granted the title 377:
J. Curtis Weaver and Thomas J. Zembrzuski, Jr., "August 31, 1993, Storm Surge and Flood of Hurricane Emily on Hatteras Island, North Carolina", in Charles A. Perry, L. J. Combs,
297:, the OHWM defines the lateral limits of federal jurisdiction over non-tidal water bodies in the absence of adjacent wetlands. For the purposes of Sections 9 and 10 of the 312:
In 2016, the Court of Appeals of Indiana ruled that land below the OHWM (as defined by common law) along Lake Michigan is held by the state in trust for public use.
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or other marker, or it may be affixed to a building or other structure that was standing at the time of the flood that set the mark.
453: 301:, the OHWM defines the lateral limits of federal jurisdiction over traditional navigable waters of the US. The OHWM is used by the 17: 482: 302: 518:
The Continuation of an Historicall Discourse, of the Government of England until the end of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth
116:) floods on August 13, 1547 (left) and November 3, 1844 (metal plate on the right). Photographed in Via delle Casine. 31: 460: 298: 124:
is a point that represents the maximum rise of a body of water over land. Such a mark is often the result of a
555: 646: 289: 72: 433: 44: 156:, this line is formed by the highest position of the tide, and moves up and down the beach on a 631: 274: 88: 579: 278: 8: 347: 223: 464: 281:, "the Admirals power extended even to the high water mark, and into the main streams". 621: 611: 641: 352: 205: 505:
Water Boundaries: Demystifying Land Boundaries Adjacent to Tidal Or Navigable Waters
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Water Boundaries: Demystifying Land Boundaries Adjacent to Tidal Or Navigable Waters
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and is typically composed of debris left by high tide. The area at the top of a
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are abundant in the rotting seaweed, and these invertebrates provide food for
605: 285: 239: 161: 149: 77: 584:, Court of Appeals of Indiana, Opinion 46A03-1508-PL-1116, December 7, 2016" 379:
Summary of floods in the United States, January 1992 through September 1993
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This article is about the height of water over land. For other uses, see
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Gunderson v. State of Indiana, Indiana Department of Natural Resources
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The Water Dictionary: A Comprehensive Reference of Water Terminology
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is deposited is an example of this phenomenon. Where there are
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Sign indicating high water marks of different floods in
288:, the high water mark is also significant because the 319: 37:"tide mark" redirects here. For the company, see 603: 531:"Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR)" 535:Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR) 307:United States Environmental Protection Agency 549:"USACE 2005 OHWM Regulatory Guidance Letter" 182: 167:, but can also include a large amount of 428: 426: 103: 87: 71: 55: 43: 14: 604: 448: 446: 481:Gunnleyg Eldevig & Andrew Flack. 423: 303:United States Army Corps of Engineers 257: 160:. The debris is chiefly composed of 443: 262:One kind of high water mark is the 24: 439:. Durham Biodiversity Partnership. 25: 658: 597: 403:Nancy McTigue, James M. Symons, 322: 32:High water mark (disambiguation) 27:Highest level of a body of water 572: 541: 523: 461:North Cornwall District Council 187:The strandline is an important 510: 497: 474: 410: 397: 384: 371: 299:Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 13: 1: 364: 76:High water mark memorial at 7: 487:Ecology of Portland Harbour 315: 279:Admiral of the English Seas 10: 663: 290:United States Constitution 36: 29: 264:ordinary high water mark 92:High water mark sign in 18:Ordinary high water mark 392:Thinking, Fast and Slow 355:, benches left by lakes 268:average high water mark 183:Ecological significance 117: 101: 85: 69: 53: 348:Measuring storm surge 107: 91: 75: 59: 47: 108:High water marks of 503:Bruce S. Flushman, 416:Bruce S. Flushman, 589:. 9 November 2020. 491:The Heritage Coast 258:Legal significance 195:. In parts of the 118: 102: 86: 70: 60:The strandline at 54: 647:Vertical position 516:Nathaniel Bacon, 390:Daniel Kahneman, 353:Terrace (geology) 206:Talitrus saltator 191:for a variety of 158:fortnightly cycle 16:(Redirected from 654: 591: 590: 588: 576: 570: 569: 567: 566: 560: 554:. Archived from 553: 545: 539: 538: 527: 521: 514: 508: 501: 495: 494: 478: 472: 471: 469: 463:. Archived from 458: 450: 441: 440: 438: 430: 421: 414: 408: 401: 395: 388: 382: 375: 332: 327: 326: 325: 21: 662: 661: 657: 656: 655: 653: 652: 651: 602: 601: 600: 595: 594: 586: 578: 577: 573: 564: 562: 558: 551: 547: 546: 542: 529: 528: 524: 515: 511: 502: 498: 479: 475: 467: 456: 454:"Strandlliines" 452: 451: 444: 436: 432: 431: 424: 415: 411: 407:(2011), p. 284. 402: 398: 394:(2011), p. 137. 389: 385: 376: 372: 367: 343:Mean high water 330:Wetlands portal 328: 323: 321: 318: 295:Clean Water Act 260: 215:Coelopa frigida 185: 175:at sea or from 122:high water mark 62:Ringstead Beach 42: 35: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 660: 650: 649: 644: 639: 634: 629: 624: 619: 614: 599: 598:External links 596: 593: 592: 571: 540: 522: 520:(1651), p. 44. 509: 507:(2001), p. 72. 496: 473: 470:on 2007-10-18. 442: 422: 420:(2001), p. 73. 409: 396: 383: 369: 368: 366: 363: 362: 361: 356: 350: 345: 340: 334: 333: 317: 314: 259: 256: 197:United Kingdom 184: 181: 171:, either from 26: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 659: 648: 645: 643: 640: 638: 635: 633: 632:Riparian zone 630: 628: 625: 623: 620: 618: 615: 613: 610: 609: 607: 585: 583: 575: 561:on 2012-10-07 557: 550: 544: 536: 532: 526: 519: 513: 506: 500: 492: 488: 484: 483:"Strand Line" 477: 466: 462: 455: 449: 447: 435: 429: 427: 419: 413: 406: 400: 393: 387: 380: 374: 370: 360: 357: 354: 351: 349: 346: 344: 341: 339: 336: 335: 331: 320: 313: 310: 308: 304: 300: 296: 291: 287: 286:United States 282: 280: 276: 273: 269: 265: 255: 253: 249: 245: 241: 237: 233: 229: 225: 221: 217: 216: 212: 208: 207: 202: 198: 194: 190: 180: 178: 174: 170: 166: 163: 159: 155: 151: 147: 143: 137: 135: 131: 127: 123: 115: 111: 106: 99: 95: 90: 83: 79: 78:Lake Missoula 74: 67: 63: 58: 51: 46: 40: 33: 19: 581: 574: 563:. Retrieved 556:the original 543: 534: 525: 517: 512: 504: 499: 486: 476: 465:the original 434:"Strandline" 417: 412: 404: 399: 391: 386: 378: 373: 311: 283: 267: 263: 261: 232:pied wagtail 222:such as the 213: 204: 186: 141: 138: 121: 119: 359:Wash margin 338:Chart datum 240:brown hares 220:shore birds 211:seaweed fly 201:sandhoppers 94:Bisset Park 606:Categories 565:2012-10-10 365:References 275:boundaries 224:rock pipit 179:outflows. 142:strandline 622:Hydrology 612:Surveying 228:turnstone 642:Wetlands 316:See also 272:property 238:such as 209:and the 203:such as 114:Florence 98:Virginia 50:Missouri 39:Tidemark 617:Beaches 284:In the 236:mammals 193:animals 189:habitat 165:seaweed 162:rotting 112:river ( 82:Montana 637:Rivers 305:, the 234:, and 177:sewage 169:litter 150:debris 148:where 100:, U.S. 84:, U.S. 66:Dorset 52:, U.S. 627:Lakes 587:(PDF) 559:(PDF) 552:(PDF) 468:(PDF) 457:(PDF) 437:(PDF) 248:voles 244:foxes 173:ships 154:tides 146:beach 130:Egypt 126:flood 252:mice 250:and 230:and 134:sign 110:Arno 68:, UK 266:or 608:: 533:. 489:. 485:. 459:. 445:^ 425:^ 254:. 246:, 242:, 226:, 199:, 120:A 96:, 80:, 64:, 580:" 568:. 537:. 493:. 41:. 34:. 20:)

Index

Ordinary high water mark
High water mark (disambiguation)
Tidemark

Missouri

Ringstead Beach
Dorset

Lake Missoula
Montana

Bisset Park
Virginia

Arno
Florence
flood
Egypt
sign
beach
debris
tides
fortnightly cycle
rotting
seaweed
litter
ships
sewage
habitat

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