9/19/2015

Tide Observation: Significance in

Foreshore Area Boundary
Delimitation

Randolf S. Vicente
Past Regional President, GEP-NCR

Structure of Presentation
1. Preliminary Part
2. Understanding Tides
3. Tide Observation
4. Significance of Tide Observation
5. Importance of Reliable Technical Descriptions
and Maps
6. Issues and Recommendations
7. ClosingThoughts

1
 9/19/2015

Objectives
1. To provide an overview.
2. To help you understand tides.
3. To talk about the importance of tides and tide
observation.
4. To discuss its significance in national
development.

Limitations of the Lecture

1. Delves only on the basic aspects of tide
observation.
2. Focus on tides rather than tidal currents.
3. Excludes actual tide observation and data
processing and analysis.
4. It does not cover the details of equilibrium and
other related theories.

2
 9/19/2015

Definition of Foreshore
• The foreshore is a part of the coast; it divides
the land and the sea.
• Foreshore is a legally-accepted term under
Philippines law.
• It denotes the strip of land that is covered and
uncovered by the movement of the tides of
the sea.
• It is also called “intertidal zone” by other
jurisdictions.

Definition of Foreshore Land

Foreshore Land – A string of land margining
a body of water; the part of a seashore between
the low water line usually at the seaward margin
of a low tide terrace and the upper limit of wave
wash at high tide usually marks by a beach scarp
or berm.

Section 4, Paragraph 46
Republic Act No. 8550 (1998)
The Fisheries Code of 1998

3
 9/19/2015

Foreshore Land (DMC 2010-13)

Foreshore Land

4
 9/19/2015

Foreshore Land (DMC 2010-13)

• Foreshore land – refers to that part of the shore which is
alternately covered and uncovered by the ebb and flow of the
(equinoctial) tide.
• Shoreline – is the line along the sea coast reached by the highest
equinoctial tide.
• Salvage Zone – is an easement of lands bordering the seas, gulfs,
bays, or ports measured landward from the interior limit of the
shoreline.
• Easement of Coast Police – is the obligation to leave a Right-of-
Way Six (6) meters wide within the salvage zone.
• Buffer Zone – refers to a strip of land with natural or established
vegetation which provides an added layer of protection to the
natural forest including mangrove forests. This is usually between
50 to 100 meters measured from the shoreline and towards inland
and includes the salvage zone.

Equinoxes and
Equinoctial Tides
• Equinoxes – the time or dates (twice
each year) at which the sun crosses the
celestial equator, when day and night
are of equal length (about September
22 and March 20). Or, points in the
celestial sphere where the celestial
equator intersects the ecliptic; also,
the times when the Sun crosses the
equator at these points.
• Vernal equinox – is the point where
the Sun crosses the Equator from
south to north and it occurs about
March 21.
• Autumnal equinox – is the point
where the Sun crosses the Equator
from north to south and it occurs
about September 23.
• Equinoctial tides — tides occurring
near the times of the equinoxes.

5
 9/19/2015

Tides: Defined
• Tides are the periodic motion of the waters of the sea due to
changes in the attractive forces of the Moon and Sun upon the
rotating Earth.
• Facts:
▫ Tides are one of the most reliable phenomena in the world.
▫ Basically, tides are very long-period waves that move through
the oceans in response to the forces exerted by the moon and sun.
▫ Tides originate in the oceans and progress toward the coastlines
where they appear as the regular rise and fall of the sea
surface.
▫ When the highest part, or crest of the wave reaches a particular
location, high tide occurs; low tide corresponds to the lowest
part of the wave, or its trough.
▫ The difference in height between the high tide and the low tide is
called the tidal range.

Vertical and Horizontal Components

of Tides

6
 9/19/2015

Tide and Tidal Current

• The rise and fall of tide is accompanied by horizontal
movement of the water called tidal current.
• Tide is the vertical rise and fall of the water while
tidal current is the horizontal flow.
• The tide rises and falls, the tidal current floods
and ebbs.
• Tides are superimposed on non-tidal rising and
falling water levels, caused by weather, seismic
events, or other natural forces.
• Similarly, tidal currents are superimposed upon non-
tidal currents such as normal river flows, floods,
and freshets.

What Causes Tides?

• Gravity is one major force that creates tides.
• In 1687, Sir Isaac Newton explained that ocean
tides result from the gravitational attraction
of the sun and moon on the oceans of the
earth (Sumich, J.L., 1996).
• Newton’s law of universal gravitation states that: the
gravitational attraction between two bodies
is directly proportional to their masses, and
inversely proportional to the square of the
distance between the bodies (Sumich, J.L., 1996;
Thurman, H.V., 1994).

7
 9/19/2015

Newton’s Law of Gravitation

From the equation, the greater the mass of the objects

and the closer they are to each other, the greater the
gravitational attraction between them (Ross, D.A. 1995).

Causes of Tides Caused by the

difference of the Moon’s
gravitational attraction
on the water on Earth

Excess gravity pulls

water towards the
Forces are moon on the near side
balanced at the
center of the Earth

Excess centrifugal  2 tidal maxima

force pushes water  12-hour cycle
away from the moon
on the far side

8
 9/19/2015

Spring and Neap Tides

The Sun is also
producing tidal
Spring tides effects, about half as
strong as the Moon.
• Near Full and New
Moon, those two
effects add up to
cause spring tides.
• Near first and
third quarter, the
two effects work at
a right angle,
Neap tides causing neap tides.

Features of Tides
• At most places the tidal change occurs twice daily.
• The tide rises until it reaches a maximum height, called high
tide or high water, and then falls to a minimum level
called low tide or low water.
• The rate of rise and fall is not uniform.
• From low water, the tide begins to rise slowly at first, but at
an increasing rate until it is about halfway to high water. The
rate of rise then decreases until high water is reached, and
the rise ceases.
• The falling tide behaves in a similar manner.
• The period at high or low water during which there is no
apparent change of level is called stand.
• The difference in height between consecutive high and low
waters is the range.

9
 9/19/2015

Types of Tides
• A body of water has a natural period of
oscillation, dependent upon its dimensions.
• None of the oceans is a single oscillating
body; rather each one is made up of several
separate oscillating basins.
• As such, basins are acted upon by the tide-
producing forces, some respond more readily to
daily or diurnal forces, others to semidiurnal forces,
and others almost equally to both.
• Hence, tides are classified as one of three types,
semidiurnal, diurnal, or mixed, according to
the characteristics of the tidal pattern.

Types of Tides
1. In the
semidiurnal
tide, there are two
high and two low
waters each tidal
day, with relatively
small differences in
the respective
highs and lows.

10
 9/19/2015

Types of Tides
2. In the diurnal
tide, only a single
high and single low
water occur each
tidal day.

Types of Tides
3. In the mixed tide, the
diurnal and
semidiurnal oscillations
are both important
factors and the tide is
characterized by a large
inequality in the high
water heights, low
water heights, or in
both. There are usually
two high and two low
waters each day, but
occasionally the tide
may become diurnal.

11
 9/19/2015

Distribution
of Tidal
Phase

Comparison of Tide Types Over One-

Calendar Month

12
 9/19/2015

• Locations of the Occurring 3 Tide Types

Worldwide

Time of Tide
• Since the lunar tide-producing force has the greatest effect in
producing tides at most places, the tides “follow the
Moon.”
• Because the Earth rotates, high water lags behind both upper
and lower meridian passage of the Moon.
• The tidal day, which is also the lunar day, is the time
between consecutive transits of the Moon, or 24 hours and 50
minutes on the average. Where the tide is largely semidiurnal
in type, the lunitidal interval (the interval between the
Moon’s meridian transit and a particular phase of tide) is
fairly constant throughout the month, varying somewhat with
the tidal cycles.
• There are many places, however, where solar or diurnal
oscillations are effective in upsetting this relationship.

13
 9/19/2015

Height of
Tide at
Anytime

Choosing a Tide Gauge Site

• Before any attempt is made to choose a site for a tide gauge
installation the following information should be considered:

1) The type of tide gauge to be operated and the

size of structure necessary.

2) The area for which the tidal information is

required and the use to which this information is
to be put.

• Within the limits of the coast dictated by the above

requirements, the site will then be chosen.
• In some instances the choice of site is quite clear, since the
requirement is to monitor tidal levels at a specific
point, such as a sewage outflow point, or a lock gate.

14
 9/19/2015

Constraints in Choosing a Tide Gauge Site

1. The installation when completed must be

capable of withstanding the worst storm
conditions likely to be encountered.
Therefore, positions known to be subject to
storm damage because of their exposure
should, if possible, be avoided. If this is not
possible, then this situation must be borne in
mind when designing the installation. Where
large waves or tsunami are possible, raising
the level of the building may be necessary
to prevent swamping or destruction.

Constraints in Choosing a Tide Gauge Site

2. The ground on which the installation is to

be built must be stable, not being liable to
subsidence because of underground workings, or
because it is recently made up of land (example:
reclaimed by tipping). It must also not be liable
to slippage in the event of heavy prolonged rain
storms (i.e. must be adequately drained) or being
eroded by river or sea action. Building
direct on to solid rock is the ideal.

15
 9/19/2015

Constraints in Choosing a Tide Gauge Site

3. The water depth must extend at least two

metres beneath the lowest astronomical
tide for successful operation of a stilling well. The
outlet of the stilling well should be clear of
the sea bed and be set deep enough to
allow the float to operate about one metre
below Lowest Astronomical Tide (LAT).

Constraints in Choosing a Tide Gauge Site

4. River estuaries should, if possible, be

avoided. Water flowing down the river mixes
with sea water resulting in varying water density
in the area and because of layering water drawn
into the stilling well may be of different density
than the surrounding water. Currents due to the
river flow can cause draw-down in the stilling well
and following heavy rainstorms debris floating
down the river can become entangled with the
stilling well causing blockage or may even cause
impact damage.

16
 9/19/2015

Constraints in Choosing a Tide Gauge Site

5. Areas where impounding (becoming cut-

off from the sea) can occur at extreme low
levels should be avoided. Similarly, sandbars
slightly below the surface between the site and the
open sea can result in uncharacteristic levels
being measured. Monitoring across long
shallow sloping beaches should also be
avoided for the same reasons.

Constraints in Choosing a Tide Gauge Site

6. Sharp headlands and sounds should be

avoided since these are places where high
currents occur.
7. Proximity to outfalls can result in turbulence,
currents, dilution and deposits, and should be
avoided.
8. A study should be made of shipping
passing or mooring close to the proposed
site, since there will be a risk of collision and
propeller turbulence causing silt movement.

17
 9/19/2015

Constraints in Choosing a Tide Gauge Site

9. Investigations should be made to determine if

there is a possibility of construction work
occurring in the area at some future time,
which may affect the tidal regime at the site e.g.
construction of new quays, breakwaters, locks or large
factories having sluices or outfalls.
10. Where an appreciable amount of continuous
power is required it will be necessary to lay in a
mains electrical supply to the site. If this is not
possible an alternative supply may be obtained from
storage batteries and a generator. If power is required
only for recording or telemetry purposes then
batteries may suffice.

Constraints in Choosing a Tide Gauge Site

11. There must be adequate access to the site in the

first instance to get materials on site during
construction, and later for observation and
maintenance visits.

18
 9/19/2015

Basic Tide Gauge

Stilling Well Inlets

19
 9/19/2015

Visual Tide Staff

Checking
Datum of
Visual Tide
Staff

20
 9/19/2015

Float Gauge
Datum Check

Van De Casteele Test

• This test involves taking readings of a manual
probe against tide gauge readings over a full
tidal cycle.
• As previously stated the sum of these two
readings should remain constant, but this is only
true in the case of a perfect tide gauge.
• Hence, the Van de Casteele test is designed to
determine the accuracy of the tide gauge, as the
results having been taken over a full tidal cycle
are then used graphically to produce a diagram,
the shape of which will identify tide gauge faults.

21
 9/19/2015

Graph and
Diagrams

Interpretation of
Diagrams

Interpretations:

(a) Perfect gauge

(b) Backlash in gauge mechanism
(c) Gauge sticking (gauge mechanism or float in well)
(d) Scaling error (wrong diameter wire, gear ration or chart)
(e) Scaling error over part range (overlapping turns on float
drum)
(f) Slippage in gauge mechanism

22
 9/19/2015

Four Types of Measuring Technology

1. A stilling well and float: in which the filtering of the
waves is done through the mechanical design of the well.
2. Pressure systems: in which sub-surface pressure is
monitored and converted to height based on knowledge of
the water density and local acceleration due to gravity.
Such systems have additional specific application to ocean
circulation studies in which pressure differences are more
relevant than height differences.
3. Acoustic systems: in which the transit time of a sonic
pulse is used to compute distance to the sea surface.
4. Radar systems: similar to acoustic transmission, but
using radar frequencies.
Note: Satellite have lead to other elaborate ways of measuring sea
level which might be important in the future.

Stilling Well and

Float

23
 9/19/2015

Bubbler Pressure System

Acoustic System

24
 9/19/2015

Radar System

Three (3) Component Parts of Sea

Level Measurement
• The basis for any scientific analysis of sea level must be
long series of careful measurements.
• Any instantaneous measurement of sea level in a series
may be considered the sum of three component parts:

observed level ~ mean sea level + tide + meteorological residuals

• Each of these component parts is controlled by separate

physical processes and the variations of each part are
essentially independent of the variations in the other
parts.

25
 9/19/2015

Sample Tide Data

A Month of Tide Data

26
 9/19/2015

Tidal Datum
• A tidal datum is a given average tide level from
which heights of tides and overhead clearances
are measured.
• It is a vertical datum, but is not the same as
vertical geodetic datum, which is a mathematical
quantity developed as part of a geodetic system
used for horizontal positioning.
• There are a number of tidal levels of reference
that are important to the mariners.

Tidal Datums (1)

27
 9/19/2015

Tidal Datums (2)

Levelling

28
 9/19/2015

Tidal Heights
• To measure the height of tides, hydrographers select a
reference level, sometimes referred to as the reference
plane, or vertical datum.
• This vertical tidal datum is not the same as the
vertical geodetic datum.
• Soundings shown on the largest scale charts are the
vertical distances from this datum to the bottom.
• At any given time the actual depth is this charted depth
plus the height of tide.
• In most places the reference level is some form of low
water. But all low waters at a given place are not the same
height, and the selected reference level is seldom the
lowest tide occurring at the place.
• When lower tides occur, these are indicated in the tide
tables by a negative sign.

Tidal Height Predictions

• The heights given in the Tide Tables are
predictions, and when assumed conditions
vary considerably, the predictions shown may be
considerably in error.
• Heights lower than predicted can be anticipated
when the atmospheric pressure is higher
than normal, or when there is a persistent
strong offshore wind.
• The greater the range of tide, the less
reliable are the predictions for both
height and current.

29
 9/19/2015

Tide Observation in the Philippines

• The National Mapping and Resource
Information Authority (NAMRIA) is the agency
mandated to undertake physical oceanography
which include the tidal observation nationwide.
• Programs and projects include establishment of
primary and secondary tide stations and tide
observation and analysis.
• Publishes the Annual Tide and Current Tables.

Location of
Primary/Secondary
Tide Stations (47)

30
 9/19/2015

Significance of Tide Observation in the

Ongoing Foreshore Area Surveys and
Mapping
• Provides the scientifically and technically
accepted methods of delimiting the high and low
water lines in a given foreshore land.
• Provides the best reliable source of water marks
that can be used in defining a datum plane for
foreshore surveys and mapping.
• Provides a clearer way of defining on the ground
the limits of rights, restrictions and
responsibilities.

Importance of Reliable Foreshore Area Technical

Descriptions and Maps in Foreshore Area Master
Planning

• Ensures focused sectoral analysis and plan

formulation.
• Serve as the basis in clearly defining the limits of
a foreshore land and tenurial arrangements.
• Defines the precise boundaries of different
coastal management regimes.
• Expedites settlement and resolution of disputes
within the foreshore areas.

31
 9/19/2015

Issues and Recommendations

1. Tide stations are sparsely distributed nationwide.
2. Mandate on tide observation is with NAMRIA not LMB.
3. Many foreshore area surveys had been completed without
undertaking localized tide observation.
4. Plans and implementation arrangements not scientifically
oriented and technically accepted.
5. Only few consultant have actual experience in the
establishment of tide stations and observation including data
processing, and analysis (including trends in sea level and tidal
corrections).
6. Limited studies on tides and tide observation.
7. Methods and procedures not in the existing guidelines of the
DENR.
8. Need for a third party to handle program/project management.
9. Absence of a national study on tides and tidal currents for
foreshore survey and mapping.

Estimation of Global Sea Level from Tide Gauges

Sea level trends are adjusted to account for rates of vertical land motion using
Global Isostatic Adjustment (GIA) models, or most recently local continuous
geodetic measurements, to estimate the global rate of sea level rise.

SOURCE: R.S.NEREM, BOWIE LECTURE FALL AGU 2005

32
 9/19/2015

Altimeter Sea Level Change

http://sealevel.colorado.edu

An Important Point to Consider: The

Spatial Variability of the Type of Tide

33
 9/19/2015

Variations in Mean Range of Tide

Sea level variability

34
 9/19/2015

The Big Picture

It is likely that much of the rise in sea level has been related to the concurrent rise in global
temperature over the last 100 years. On this time scale, the warming and the consequent thermal
expansion of the oceans may account for about 2-7 cm of the observed sea level rise, while the observed
retreat of glaciers and ice caps may account for about 2-5 cm.

Changes in Sea Level in the Next 100 Years

Next 100 years

• a rise between 9 and 88 cm
• a central value of 48 cm

• a rate of approx. 2.2 - 4.4

times that of the past
100 years (IPCC TAR)

Projected sea level rise, IPCC 2001

What will be the effect of the expected rise of sea

70
level in foreshore survey and mapping?

35
 9/19/2015

Facts to Remember
1. Tide stations can be densified.
2. Institutional arrangements can be facilitated and
operationalized.
3. Quality control/assurance measures can be made
despite completion of foreshore surveys.
4. Scientific and technical aspects of foreshore area
delimitation can be done in a collaborative way.
5. Studies on tides and tide observation can be made by
private research consultants.
6. Capability building programs for all levels and
sectors can be made.
7. Specific guidelines can be drafted and approved.
8. Eligible consultants are locally available.
9. Relevant technical and policy studies not a priority.

Closing Thoughts
• There is no single right way of delimiting the
boundaries of foreshore areas or lands. The
methods and techniques will greatly depend on the
following:
▫ Availability of tide stations and datasets
▫ Location and land use of foreshore lands
▫ Geometry and topography of the area/s
▫ Local tide cycle and meteorological conditions
▫ Global and local sea level rise regimes
▫ Dearth of competent project management staff at all
levels (central until field operations)
▫ Eligibility and competency of private professional
consultants/contractors in foreshore survey and
mapping
▫ Other relevant natural causes and phenomena

36
 9/19/2015

Thank you for listening!

The Moon - Touchdown

• Traces of the Apollo

Lunar Rover
• Designed by Eduardo C.
San Juan – A Filipino

37
 9/19/2015

Basic Questions
• How many times does the earth rotate about its
axis in a year? (365.242 + 1 = 366.242 times)
• As seen from the North Pole, which direction
does the earth rotate? (Counter-clockwise)
• Can a full moon rise at midnight? (No!)
• What causes the tides? (Earth-Moon and Earth-
Sun Systems)
• Where is the center-of-mass of the earth+moon?
(R = 0.75Re)
• Where is the center-of-mass of the sun+earth?
(R = 0.0006Rs)

Causes of Tides
• Newton’s universal law of gravitation governs both the orbits of
celestial bodies and the tide-generating forces which occur on them.
• The force of gravitational attraction between any two masses, m1
and m2, is given by:

F= (Gm1m2)/r2

• Where r is the distance between the two masses, and G is a constant

which depends upon the units employed. This law assumes that m1
and m2 are point masses.
• Newton was able to show that homogeneous spheres could be
treated as point masses when determining their orbits.
• When computing differential gravitational forces, however, the
actual dimensions of the masses must be taken into account.

38
 9/19/2015

Effects of Tides
• Slow down the rotation of earth

• Seabed slips under the water bulges

• Friction slows down the rotation
• The day was 18 hours long 900 million years ago

39