Küstenabschnitt

Küstenabschnitt is a German term for a defined segment of coastline. It denotes a specific, delimited stretch of shore that is treated as a unit for planning, protection, monitoring and use. The borders and length of a Küstenabschnitt may be determined by natural features such as headlands and bays or by administrative boundaries set by local, state or federal authorities.

In practice, Küstenabschnitte function as basic planning and management units. They are used in coastal engineering, flood and erosion protection, beach nourishment, environmental monitoring, tourism development and land-use regulation. By dividing the coast into identifiable sections, authorities can coordinate activities, data collection and permitting across multiple jurisdictions along longer coastlines.

The concept is not tied to a single legal form; boundaries can be adjusted over time as conditions change. Küstenabschnitte are often documented in coastal management plans and geographic information systems, with data such as shoreline length, sediment characteristics, habitat indicators and hazard exposure being collected at the section level.

Contextually, the term is common in German-speaking regions with significant coastlines, such as the North Sea and Baltic Sea coasts of Germany. It provides a practical unit for administration and analysis, aligning with similar coastline segmentation used in other countries for management and planning purposes. See also Küstenlinie, Küstenzonen, Küstenwacht.