property

erosion

Erosion is the gradual wearing away of land by natural forces such as water, wind, or ice. Because it happens slowly, the owner loses title to the land that washes or blows away, and the property boundary effectively shrinks. It is the opposite of accretion, where land is gradually added. Sudden loss of land from a storm or flood is called avulsion, and in that case the owner generally keeps title to the land that was moved.