a low, elongated ridge of sand that parallels the coast

the accumulation of sediment found along the shore of a lake or ocean

the apparent deflective force of Earth's rotation on all free-moving objects including the atmosphere and oceans

current of ocean water that results from density differences among water masses

the distance that wind has traveled across open water

the large circular surface current pattern found in each ocean

a near-shore current that flows parallel to the shore

lowest tidal range

mass of ocean water that flows from one place to another

highest tidal range that occurs due to the alignment of Earth, the moon and the sun

movement of water that flows horizontally in the upper part of the ocean's surface

the difference in height between successive high and low tides

daily change in the elvation of the ocean surface

the rising of cold water from deeper layers to replace warmer surface water that has been moved away

the vertical distance between the trough and crest of a wave

the time interval between the passage of successive crests at a stationary point

the process by which the portion of wave in shallow water slows, causing the wave to bend and tend to align itself with the underwater contours

the horizontal distance separating successive crests or troughs

the sorted material deposited by a stream

rock or soil through which groundwater moves easily

a well in which the water naturally rises above the level of the water table

the lowest point to which a stream can erode its channel

sediment that is carried by a stream along the bottom of its channel

the total amount of sediment a stream is able to transport

a naturally formed underground chamber or series of chambers most commonly produced by solution activity in limestone

an accumulation of sediment formed where a stream enters a lake or an ocean

the quantity of water in a stream that passes a given point in a period of time

an imaginary line that separates the drainage of two streams; often found along a ridge

the land area that conributes water to a stream

occurs when the discharge of a stream becomes so great that it exceeds the carrying capacity of its channel

the flat, low-lying portion of a stream valley subject to periodic flooding

a hot spring or fountain that ejects water at various intervals

the slope of a stream over a certain distance

water underground in the zone of saturation

the movement of surface water into rock or soil through cracks and pore spaces

an area that has a land surface or topography with numerous depressions called sinkholes

a looplike bend in the course of a stream

an elevated landform that parallels a stream and acts to confine its waters, except during floodstage

a measure of a material's ability to transmit fluids

the volume of open spaces in rock or soil

a depression produced in a region where soluble rock has been removed by groundwater

a flow of groundwater that emerges naturally at the ground surface

the course that the water in a stream follows

the release of water from plants into the atmosphere

a form of limestone that is deposited by hot springs or as a cave deposit

a stream that empties itself into another stream

the constant movement of water among the oceans, atmosphere, geosphere, and biosphere

the upper level fo the saturated zone of groundwater

an opening bored into the zone of saturation

zone where all open spaces in sediment and rock are completely filled with water