Unclassified 
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19. ABSTRACT (Continued). 
The success or failure of a particular coastal design is often directly related to 
the amount and quality of available data and information related to the physical condi- 
tions at the project site. Im many cases, the designer is unnecessarily restricted 
because of ignorance of potential sources of useful information, most of which are easily 
accessible. Knowledge and proper use of these information sources could result both in 
monetary savings and in an improvement in the quality of the final products. 
The importance and economic value of existing data and information have long been 
recognized. In recent years major efforts have been undertaken to make available to the 
public vast amounts of information and data generated by Federally funded activities. 
The National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service of the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration represents a typical organization which provides a 
number of Federal data banks and services on data management and data analysis. Numerous 
information centers and referral services, public and private, are also becoming available 
to the users. However, ocean engineers, in general, are lacking in awareness and utiliza- 
tion of the available information resources. This publication increases the awareness and 
promotes the utilization of sources of coastal engineering information by compiling the 
available sources in a single handy reference volume; directs users to appropriate organi- 
zations, personnel, or publications for engineering data or information; and facilitates 
engineering design or analysis with a minimum effort in site-specific data acquisition 
activities. 
Coastal engineering data or information covered by this report include: (a) meteo- 
rology and climatology; (b) water levels; (c) winds and storms; (d) waves and currents; 
(e) ice information; (f) littoral transport and shoreline erosion; (g) coastal geology and 
geomorphology; (h) topography, hydrography, and bathymetry; and (i) earthquakes and 
tsunamis. 
There are data sources, particularly sources from the private sector, that may have 
been left out by this report. Also, new data sources and/or data files may have been 
established since the publication of this report. In order to benefit the coastal engi- 
neering community with complete and up-to-date information, suggestions of new sources and 
data information are solicited; they should be sent to the authors. The Coastal Engi- 
neering Research Center will update the present publication when the needs become 
apparent. 
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