sea-level datum


sea-level datum

[′sē ¦lev·əl ‚dad·əm] (engineering) A determination of mean sea level that has been adopted as a standard datum for heights or elevations, based on tidal observations over many years at various tide stations along the coasts.

mean sea level

The average height of the surface of the sea for all stages of the tide. It is used as a reference for elevations. Usually, it is determined by averaging the height readings observed hourly over a minimum period of nineteen years. Also called sea-level datum.