Oregon Coast King Tides Project Needs More Eyes, Assistance

Published 12/29/2013

(Oregon Coast) – Here's a way to enjoy the beaches of the Oregon coast, snap some amazing ocean photos, and help the progress of science all at the same time.

The second phase in a series of three King Tides events is coming up, starting New Year's Eve and going through January 3, as the year's highest tides brings the need for volunteers to document them. The Oregon branch of this worldwide project (which started in Australia) is asking anyone with a camera to snap pics of the massive high tides to document how close they come to both manmade and natural structures.

Photographers are asked to take shots at the highest point of the tide during the series of high tides on those days. These photos can focus on any feature, but those that show the location of the tide in relation to the built environment (roads, seawalls, buildings) are especially valuable. Photos showing how the high tides affect wetland areas are also of special value.

The organization CoastWatch, which is helping with much of the project, said the ideal photo would be taken from a location where the photographer can return later at an ordinary high tide to take a comparison shot.

Participating photographers are asked to post their photographs on the project’s Flickr site, http://www.flickr.com/groups/oregonkingtides/. Those who don’t wish to use Flickr can e-mail their photo files to orkingtide@gmail.com.

See the Oregon coast weather page for links to the tide tables for individual areas.

The first series of the King Tides Project high tides happened early in December. A third phase will take place January 29-31.

King Tide photos help to reveal which areas, both natural and human-built, are vulnerable to high tides under current conditions. Over time as the project continues, photos taken at the same locations year after year will help to demonstrate changing sea levels. King Tide photos may help planners, scientists and all citizens to envision what might become typical tides in the future with predicted sea level rise due to climate change.

At the end of the project in late January participants and organizers will hold a party to celebrate. A big gathering will happen at the South Beach location of the Rogue Brewery in Newport at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, January 31.

At the conclusion of the project, a celebration will be held beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 31, at the South Beach location of the Rogue Brewery in Newport. The best of the King Tide photos will be shown, photographers will be on hand to comment, and there will be a special speaker. The event is free and open to all (some refreshments provided, beer and meals available from the Rogue).

The Oregon version is sponsored by the Coastal Management Program of Oregon’s Department of Land Conservation and Development, and co-sponsored by CoastWatch, the volunteer program of the Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition, and the Oregon chapter of the Surfrider Foundation.

For more information about the project, please contact Meg Gardner, NOAA Coastal Fellow, at the Oregon Coastal Management Program in Newport: (541) 574-4514 or meg.gardner@state.or.us. For information about the final celebration, contact Fawn Custer, CoastWatch volunteer coordinator, at (541) 270-0027, fawn@oregonshores.org.

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