The German North Sea Coast is relatively short (370 km); its shape is extremely irregular with estuaries, extended tidal flats, partly protected by sandy islands with deep tidal gullies between them (Fig. 1). In order to gain more detailed information and sufficient knowledge about the variety and variations in this region, the German Coastal Engineering Board (KFKI, Kuratorium fur Forschung im Kusteningenieurwesen) has initiated a high-level and extensive programme, "MORAN", "Morphological Analysis Klorth-Sea-Coast". The purpose and the first ideas of the programme were presented by Siefert and Barthel (1981). Investigations are still under way. It is of high interest whether the mean height of the tidal flats will rise, if the green house effect results in an acceleration of the mean sea level rise. In that case coastal protection in areas behind tidal flats will have to be changed completely, as then wave energy will no longer be dissipated in front of the coastline and will attack the dikes heavily .