Uferlinie

Uferlinie is a geographic term describing the boundary where land meets water along coastlines, rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water. In German, it is commonly translated as shoreline or bank line. The precise line designated as the Uferlinie depends on the context and the technical or legal standard in use; it may be defined as the edge of dry land at low tide, the line at mean high water, or another fixed water level used for maps and land administration.

The Uferlinie is not fixed. It shifts with tidal cycles, river flow, sediment transport, storms, erosion, and long-term changes such as sea-level rise. In coastal and estuarine zones, the line can migrate inland during progradation or seaward during erosion; in rivers, flood events can rework banks and adjust the boundary.

Measurement and data for the Uferlinie come from field surveys, tide gauges, radar or lidar topography, and satellite observations, often tied to a defined water level (e.g., mean low water, mean high water, or mean sea level). Different maps or legal documents may adopt different definitions.

Applications of the Uferlinie include flood risk assessment, coastal and river engineering, urban planning, and cadastral boundary delineation. It also plays a role in habitat protection and the management of shore-protection measures, reflecting the dynamic interaction between water and land.