Coastal Engineering Research Center 
US Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station 
PO Box 631 
Vicksburg, MS 39180 
(601) 634-2012, FTS 542-2012 
Publications 
Tides and Tidal Datums in the United States 
Halas Sine Dam lores 9) 
Publication Date: February 1981 
Location: Data presented in this report are developed 
specifically for the locations of 50 National 
Ocean Service (NOS) reference tide stations and 
5 secondary stations located along the US 
coastline from Maine to Alaska. 
Period of Coverage: Analyses are based on NOS data for the period 
LICE EOSIN 
Contents: This report provides a ready reference to information about the 
tide characteristics. It also provides information about the statistical dis- 
tribution of astronomical tidal heights which can be used in setting and 
measuring the elevation of proposed engineering works or combined with similar 
statistics for storm surges and tsunamis to estimate the probability of 
extreme water levels. 
Several tidal datums of practical importance are described. Sources of 
detailed information are identified in the report. Statistical characteris-— 
tics of the astronomical tides at various US ports are investigated and docu- 
mented with graphs and tables. Specifically, the information presented by 
this report includes: 
(a) Plots which show tide hydrographs for a l-month period for each NOS 
reference tide station to display characteristics of the daily and monthly 
cycles at each location.: 
(b) Plots which show the predicted annual cycle of mean water levels as 
defined by the monthly mean of the predicted tides as averaged over the 
19-year period. 
(c) Plots which show the predicted mean sea level for each year in the 
Metonic cycle. 
(d) Plots which show the annual cycle in tidal range. 
(e) Plots which show the variability of each measure of range for the 
19-year Metonic cycle. 
(f) Plots which give the annual cycle of calculated low water 
parameters. 
(g) Plots which present low-water parameters for the 19-year Metonic 
cycle. 
(h) Plots which present high-water parameters for annual and Metonic 
cycles. 
(i) Probability density distribution tables which provide seven tide 
parameters: the highest predicted tide for each month, the predicted higher 
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