Urban Tides

USC Sea Grant's Urban Tides Program invites all individuals to visit the Southern California coast year-round including during extreme tide events to take photos of the changing shoreline and any impacts on beaches or nearby communities. Extreme tides, particularly king tides, can help us identify current flooding hot spots and visualize what future sea level rise will look like for our coastline. Photos of these events help fill gaps in documenting coastal issues as well as identify areas of concern to assist in local planning and policy efforts.

Tides are the rise and fall of sea level due to the gravitational pull of the moon and the moon and the sun.

King tides are the extreme high tides that reach 6 feet and above. By observing these tides over time, we are able to visualize future average water levels. Typically king tides along the California coast occur in the winter - November through January. Find the latest King Tides observation dates on our website  here .

• Due to climate change our planet has been warming up and the oceans have been absorbing over 90% of the excess heat. 
• Water volume increases with temperature because of thermal expansion 
• Warmer air and ocean temperatures cause ice sheets and glaciers to melt

• As sea level is dramatically increasing, it affects 160 million people living along the coast in the United States and 600 million living near the coast worldwide.
• With so many people living by the sea, there can be challenges managing the coastline.
• Sea water intrusion has significant impacts on vegetation. Plants cannot grow in briny soils, so there are only specialized crops and plants along the beach. Garden saltwater intrusion kills plants on coastline properties.
• Rocky intertidal areas flood and cause loss of ecosystems and unique habitats. This includes wetlands and their wildlife as well as tidepools.
• Coastline squeeze impacts infrastructure due to the highly developed coastline.

The  California King Tides Project  invites citizens to document these highest tides by using their phone or camera along the entire California Coast. These images then offer a living record of the changes to our coasts and provide insight to what our daily tides might look like in the future. By getting involved and submitting pictures you are helping scientists and managers plan better for future flood risks and help drive decisions in local communities. These pictures are also used by educators to teach students about climate change and the accompanying coastal impacts.

Add your photos to the USC Sea Grant Urban Tides map and dataset! Get involved with the Urban Tides community science project by adopting your favorite beach or going to a photo stop on one of our LA coastline maps. Submit your Southern California  photos to the project here !

By getting involved with the project, you are helping researchers and city planners protect our coastline. See the photos other community members like you have submitted by clicking the blue dots on the map to the left.

Find your local tide information on the  NOAA Tide Prediction site  or use the tool below for: Malibu Beach, Santa Monica, Marina del Rey, Manhattan Beach, Torrance Beach, Los Angeles Harbor, Belmont Shore

● Visit USC Sea Grant's Urban Tides website  here 

● California Coastal Commission is also collecting king tides data with the help of citizen scientists along the entire CA coastline.  Learn more here 

● To learn more about how cities are addressing coastal hazards, visit  AdaptLA