Figure 7. Wave erosion at the base of a bluff removes slope sediment and steepens the bluff. Erosion has undercut the trees in the photo above and caused them to tilt toward the ocean. This steepening reduces the stability of the bluff, and a landslide may result. Ongoing sea-level rise along the Maine coast will cause wave erosion at the base of coastal bluffs and continue to make some coastal bluffs at risk of experiencing a landslide.

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Last updated on October 6, 2005

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