King Tides- Thinking Solutions Globally
November 17th International Press reported "Miami's King Tide Expected to Peak Thursday, Flooding Parts of Miami Beach.... Final days of October Press reported "King Tides will reveal the future of sea levels for Florida Keys, Charleston, Annapolis, and Washington DC.... Before it is News reported on October 27th "As sea level rises in Jamaica Bay, New York, Tidal Flooding moves from Occasional to Chronic"...
King Tides are on the rise and breaking news in Australia, British Columbia, California, US Coasts, Bangladesh, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Japan, Brazil, Nova Scotia, Buenos Aries, Durban, South Africa, Maldives, Panama City, the Artic...and other locations around the world.
King Tides are being influenced by no minor events, the gravitational pull and alignment of the Earth, Sun and Moon -responsible for tide movements and other ocean water dynamics is now on the spotlight.
UCS-USA on their report Enroaching Tides referred to "a perigean spring tide – an extra-high tide when the sun, moon, and Earth are aligned and the moon is closest to Earth in its monthly orbit”. This alignment happens three or four times a year. In many locations along the U.S. east coast. The event is known as a King Tide.
Reuters added that this unusual alignment is a reminder that climate change has the potential to do catastrophic damage. For those operating in the Climate Change sector it is an unprecedented opportunity to get to work on innovative solutions to protect coasts, human resources, lives and billions of dollars in environment and values. King Tides Projects are rising around the world mapping and tracking tides
The Ocean Foundation -on a mission to support, strengthen, and promote organizations “dedicated to reversing the trend of destruction of ocean environments around the world” voiced clearly on Kind Tides.
"King Tide is not an official scientific term. It’s a general term that is in common use to describe especially high tides—such as those that occur when there is an alignment with the sun and moon. King tides are not themselves a sign of climate change, but, as the Australian Green Cross’s website Witness King Tides states, They do give us a sneak preview of what higher sea levels could look like,” Mark J. Spalding, President of The Ocean Foundation sets the record straight and highlighted the many people living in coastal areas who on daily basis eye tide charts to avoid "commuting" through flooded areas.
The Ocean Foundation signaled to the recently released report from the Union of Concerned Scientists which reveals new forecasts for tidal flooding due to sea level rise.
The Miami Herald reported that Miami Beach is hosting EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, local and state officials, and a special congressional delegation led by Senator Bill Nelson and his colleague from Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse to watch the inaugural test of a new water management system. The system is designed to mitigate the tidal flooding that has interrupted commuters, business owners, and other members of the community.
“The $15 million spent so far is the first fraction of the $500 million the city (of Miami) plans to spend during the next five years on 58 pumps up and down the Beach. The new pump systems are connected to the new drainage infrastructure... ” Mayor Philip Levine speaking to the media on King Tide investment recently told the media.
It is easy for international press and even authorities to focus on the force and power of King Tides as it is one of the most impressive displays of nature. However, the event is also a manifestation of other issues. Question such as why do King Tides rise or why if they are now causing as much impact as always? Or what role does urban coastal development play in the mitigation of King Tide…has the loss of mangroves forests, coral reefs, key geographic landmarks and other environment known to act as a barrier to tides, hurricanes, storms and tides affect the event? These are the questions which those who are thinking about solutions around the world ask.
"Anticipating new flood zones, even temporary ones, is just one element of adapting to climate change. It is particularly important for urban areas where receding floodwaters not only leave behind damage to human structures, but can also carry toxics, trash, and sediments to the coastal waters and the sea life that depends on them. Obviously, we must do what we can to plan for these events and ways to minimize these harms as some communities are beginning to do. It is also important that we consider natural systems in developing our local mitigation strategies, even as we work to address the broader causes of climate change and sea level rise. Seagrass meadows, mangroves, and coastal wetlands can all help mitigate flooding—even as regular saltwater inundation may adversely affect riparian forests and other habitats," The Ocean Foundation reported.
