The last round of king tides, the highest high tides of the year, is coming up January 2-4, 2018. Residents and visitors to Oregon’s coast are invited to capture these high water events in photos. The Oregon King Tides Photo Project is part of a worldwide initiative; anyone with a camera can help document the extent of the extreme high tides, and help us catch a glimpse of what sea level rise will look like in our region. Everyone is welcome to participate, just pick a place, snap a photo and share it online.
What are King Tides?
The term ‘king tide’ describes a high tide event when the sun, moon, and earth are in alignment, causing greater than usual gravitational pull on the tides. When king tides occur during intense rain or storm events, the water level rise can cause flooding, erosion, and other impacts to infrastructure and property.
Why is it important to document them?
King Tide events give us the opportunity to peek into the future and see what the impacts of sea level rise could look like in our coastal communities. Even a small increase in sea level could escalate the impacts of winter storms along the Oregon coast, intensify chronic hazards like erosion and flooding, and reduce the width of the public beach. Photographing king tides is an effective way to help coastal communities identify areas prone to flooding, expose potential impacts of sea level rise, and start planning for the future.
How can I take a helpful photo?
Helpful king tide photos show water levels adjacent to a fixed feature like a piling, seawall or bridge abutment. Including fixed features allows actual water levels to be documented and tracked over time. Good photos also must include the location, the date and time of the photo, and the viewer’s direction for each picture. Two photos taken from the same spot, one during the king tide and the other at a typical high tide are also very effective in highlighting these high water events. Find tide tables for your area and instructions for how to take and upload photos on the King Tides website: www.oregonkingtides.net.
Need inspiration?
Check out some photos already taken during the 2017-2018 season!