How is “wave base” different from “wave height”?

wave base is the highest depth at which the route of a water wave creates substantial movement of water.

Wave height is the lateral distance between the waves and the wave's crest

Explanation:

In physical oceanography, the wave base is the highest depth at which the route of a water wave creates substantial movement of water. For water depths greater than the base of the wave, the underlying sediments and the seabed are no longer disturb by the above wave motion.Wave height is the lateral distance between the waves and the wave's crest from taken from bottom of the trough.

separation of church and state? not sure what you mean.