It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Longshore Drift. (Discuss)
Littoral drift (also called shore drift) is the constant flow of sand, gravel, and other sediments as they are dragged across the shoreline in a river-like path by the prevailing longshore current. Littoral drift drags these particles in a zig zag pattern along the shoreline as waves flow in and out at a diagonal angle. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... In geography, longshore drift (LSD) (or littoral drift) refers to a process by which sediments move along a beach shoreline. ... Sediment is any particulate matter that can be transported by fluid flow and which eventually is deposited as a layer of solid particles on the bed or bottom of a body of water or other liquid. ...
In coastal bays and estuaries, waves and currents can sort the coarser-grained sands and gravels from eroded bank materials and move them in both directions along the shore, away from the area undergoing erosion. This process has been going on for tens of thousands years and has shaped and changed the geography of the land it affects. In geography, a bay or gulf is a collection of water that is surrounded by land on three sides. ... Estuaries and coastal waters are among the most productive ecosystems on Earth, providing numerous ecological, economic, cultural, and aesthetic benefits and services. ... Gravel being unloaded from a barge Gravel is rock that is of a certain size range. ...
Groynes trap sand in littoral drift and halt its longshore movement along beaches. A groyne on the East coast of England Wikimedia Commons has more media related to: Groyne A groyne (groin in the United States) is a method of coastal defense against erosion. ...