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High water mark

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62: 34: 78: 46: 370:(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. 117:, 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 313: 94: 282:
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
121:. 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 128:
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
298:, 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. 259:, 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 266:. 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 366:
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,
286:, 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 301:
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.
442: 290:, the OHWM defines the lateral limits of federal jurisdiction over traditional navigable waters of the US. The OHWM is used by the 471: 291: 507:
The Continuation of an Historicall Discourse, of the Government of England until the end of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth
105:) floods on August 13, 1547 (left) and November 3, 1844 (metal plate on the right). Photographed in Via delle Casine. 20: 449: 287: 113:
is a point that represents the maximum rise of a body of water over land. Such a mark is often the result of a
544: 635: 278: 61: 422: 33: 145:, this line is formed by the highest position of the tide, and moves up and down the beach on a 620: 263: 77: 568: 267: 8: 336: 212: 453: 270:, "the Admirals power extended even to the high water mark, and into the main streams". 610: 600: 630: 341: 194: 494:
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
594: 274: 228: 150: 138: 66: 573:, Court of Appeals of Indiana, Opinion 46A03-1508-PL-1116, December 7, 2016" 368:
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
277:, the high water mark is also significant because the 308: 26:"tide mark" redirects here. For the company, see 592: 520:"Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR)" 524:Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR) 296:United States Environmental Protection Agency 538:"USACE 2005 OHWM Regulatory Guidance Letter" 171: 156:, but can also include a large amount of 417: 415: 92: 76: 60: 44: 32: 593: 437: 435: 470:Gunnleyg Eldevig & Andrew Flack. 412: 292:United States Army Corps of Engineers 246: 149:. The debris is chiefly composed of 432: 251:One kind of high water mark is the 13: 428:. Durham Biodiversity Partnership. 14: 647: 586: 392:Nancy McTigue, James M. Symons, 311: 21:High water mark (disambiguation) 16:Highest level of a body of water 561: 530: 512: 450:North Cornwall District Council 176:The strandline is an important 499: 486: 463: 399: 386: 373: 360: 288:Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 1: 353: 65:High water mark memorial at 7: 476:Ecology of Portland Harbour 304: 268:Admiral of the English Seas 10: 652: 279:United States Constitution 25: 18: 253:ordinary high water mark 81:High water mark sign in 381:Thinking, Fast and Slow 344:, benches left by lakes 257:average high water mark 172:Ecological significance 106: 90: 74: 58: 42: 337:Measuring storm surge 96: 80: 64: 48: 36: 97:High water marks of 492:Bruce S. Flushman, 405:Bruce S. Flushman, 578:. 9 November 2020. 480:The Heritage Coast 247:Legal significance 184:. In parts of the 107: 91: 75: 59: 49:The strandline at 43: 636:Vertical position 505:Nathaniel Bacon, 379:Daniel Kahneman, 342:Terrace (geology) 195:Talitrus saltator 180:for a variety of 147:fortnightly cycle 643: 580: 579: 577: 565: 559: 558: 556: 555: 549: 543:. Archived from 542: 534: 528: 527: 516: 510: 503: 497: 490: 484: 483: 467: 461: 460: 458: 452:. Archived from 447: 439: 430: 429: 427: 419: 410: 403: 397: 390: 384: 377: 371: 364: 321: 316: 315: 314: 651: 650: 646: 645: 644: 642: 641: 640: 591: 590: 589: 584: 583: 575: 567: 566: 562: 553: 551: 547: 540: 536: 535: 531: 518: 517: 513: 504: 500: 491: 487: 468: 464: 456: 445: 443:"Strandlliines" 441: 440: 433: 425: 421: 420: 413: 404: 400: 396:(2011), p. 284. 391: 387: 383:(2011), p. 137. 378: 374: 365: 361: 356: 332:Mean high water 319:Wetlands portal 317: 312: 310: 307: 284:Clean Water Act 249: 204:Coelopa frigida 174: 164:at sea or from 111:high water mark 51:Ringstead Beach 31: 24: 17: 12: 11: 5: 649: 639: 638: 633: 628: 623: 618: 613: 608: 603: 588: 587:External links 585: 582: 581: 560: 529: 511: 509:(1651), p. 44. 498: 496:(2001), p. 72. 485: 462: 459:on 2007-10-18. 431: 411: 409:(2001), p. 73. 398: 385: 372: 358: 357: 355: 352: 351: 350: 345: 339: 334: 329: 323: 322: 306: 303: 248: 245: 186:United Kingdom 173: 170: 160:, either from 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 648: 637: 634: 632: 629: 627: 624: 622: 621:Riparian zone 619: 617: 614: 612: 609: 607: 604: 602: 599: 598: 596: 574: 572: 564: 550:on 2012-10-07 546: 539: 533: 525: 521: 515: 508: 502: 495: 489: 481: 477: 473: 472:"Strand Line" 466: 455: 451: 444: 438: 436: 424: 418: 416: 408: 402: 395: 389: 382: 376: 369: 363: 359: 349: 346: 343: 340: 338: 335: 333: 330: 328: 325: 324: 320: 309: 302: 299: 297: 293: 289: 285: 280: 276: 275:United States 271: 269: 265: 262: 258: 254: 244: 242: 238: 234: 230: 226: 222: 218: 214: 210: 206: 205: 201: 197: 196: 191: 187: 183: 179: 169: 167: 163: 159: 155: 152: 148: 144: 140: 136: 132: 126: 124: 120: 116: 112: 104: 100: 95: 88: 84: 79: 72: 68: 67:Lake Missoula 63: 56: 52: 47: 40: 35: 29: 22: 570: 563: 552:. Retrieved 545:the original 532: 523: 514: 506: 501: 493: 488: 475: 465: 454:the original 423:"Strandline" 406: 401: 393: 388: 380: 375: 367: 362: 300: 272: 256: 252: 250: 221:pied wagtail 211:such as the 202: 193: 175: 130: 127: 110: 108: 348:Wash margin 327:Chart datum 229:brown hares 209:shore birds 200:seaweed fly 190:sandhoppers 83:Bisset Park 595:Categories 554:2012-10-10 354:References 264:boundaries 213:rock pipit 168:outflows. 131:strandline 611:Hydrology 601:Surveying 217:turnstone 631:Wetlands 305:See also 261:property 227:such as 198:and the 192:such as 103:Florence 87:Virginia 39:Missouri 28:Tidemark 606:Beaches 273:In the 225:mammals 182:animals 178:habitat 154:seaweed 151:rotting 101:river ( 71:Montana 626:Rivers 294:, the 223:, and 166:sewage 158:litter 139:debris 137:where 89:, U.S. 73:, U.S. 55:Dorset 41:, U.S. 616:Lakes 576:(PDF) 548:(PDF) 541:(PDF) 457:(PDF) 446:(PDF) 426:(PDF) 237:voles 233:foxes 162:ships 143:tides 135:beach 119:Egypt 115:flood 241:mice 239:and 219:and 123:sign 99:Arno 57:, UK 255:or 597:: 522:. 478:. 474:. 448:. 434:^ 414:^ 243:. 235:, 231:, 215:, 188:, 109:A 85:, 69:, 53:, 569:" 557:. 526:. 482:. 30:. 23:.

Index

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
animals

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