Humboldt Bay King Tide Photo Project
Contribute photos to a long-standing project and document predictors of sea level rise in the Humboldt Bay Area!
What are King Tides?
While the term "King Tide" isn't a scientific term, it is used to describe very high tides, caused when there is alignment of the gravitational pull between sun, moon, and Earth. When King Tides occur during floods or storms, water levels can rise higher and have the potential to cause great damage to the coastline and coastal property.
King Tides:
- occur naturally and regularly,
- are predictable and expected, and
- are not an everyday occurrence.
Watch a video from the Exploratorium explaining King Tides.
King Tides tend to be more dramatic in the winter when storms cause increased wind and wave activity along the coast.
These high water events hint at how flooding from rising sea levels will impact our beaches, coastal areas, and shoreline communities in the not-so-distant future.
King Tide Photo Project
King Tides give us a glimpse into future impacts from sea level rise.
Butcher Slough near the Arcata Marsh during a King Tide in 2022.
Understanding the future impacts from sea level rise is a first step toward adapting to our rapidly changing climate.
The Humboldt Bay King Tides Photo Initiative began in 2011 as a community science project to document the highest tides of the year in areas vulnerable to rising sea level.
To get involved all you need is a camera or a smartphone!
By capturing images of these extreme high tides, scientists and planners hope to gain insight into how rising sea levels will impact coastal areas in the future. This photo initiative is a great opportunity for Citizen Scientists to contribute to a long-term dataset, while helping inform residents and decisionmakers about the need to plan for coming changes to our natural and built environments.
Arcata Marsh
Standing on the metal bridge between the main marsh and the wastewater treatment plant, you can see the old train tracks bridge--which is a great reference for changes in tide level.
Liscom Slough x Jackson Rd.
Where Jackson Road crosses Liscom Slough, the road is just barely above the slough. This is a great spot to document a King Tide!
Mad River Slough Bridge on HWY 255 in Manila
There are several pullouts on either side of this bridge that make excellent photo points to capture the impacts of King Tides!
Fisherman's Statue, Woodley Island
At the western tip of Woodley Island, this iconic statue can be seen. It provides excellent reference for tide levels.
Eureka Slough Boat Launch
Access this site behind Target! Take a photo with the measuring pole in the frame--this helps us measure tide changes!
King Salmon
The community of King Salmon is particularly susceptible to sea level rise. Photos taken here during King Tides show dramatic sea level rise that threatens local infrastructure.
How to Participate
You can use the Photo Upload Form to submit your photos to the California Coastal Commission's King Tides Photo Project.
For more information on how to participate, check out this article by the California Coastal Commission, who manages this project state-wide.
Be very cautious of rising water, eroding shorelines, and flooded roadways!
The tides vary by location in both height and peak time. Be sure to check NOAA's tide predictions (button below) for various locations around Humboldt Bay.
Recommended locations to observe high tides include:
- Halvorsen Park & F Street boardwalk in Eureka
- Fisherman's Statue on Woodley Island
- Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary
- HWY 255 Bridge over Mad River Slough, Manila
- Liscom Slough on Jackson Ranch Road in Arcata
- Eureka Slough behind Target
- Fields Landing and King Salmon
Suggested Photo Points Map
King Tide Photo Pts
Who is Humboldt Waterkeeper?
Humboldt Waterkeeper (formerly Humboldt Baykeeper) works to safeguard our coastal resources for the health, enjoyment, and economic strength of the Humboldt Bay community through education, scientific research, and enforcement of laws to fight pollution.
Formed in 2004 after the resounding defeat of a proposal for a Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) import facility on the Samoa Peninsula, we soon brought our expertise in water quality and legacy dioxin contamination to adjacent watersheds as well.
Humboldt Bay is still our top priority, but our new name reflects the work we've been doing for years .
The geographical reach of Humboldt Waterkeeper's programs includes Humboldt Bay, its tributaries, and the Pacific Coast from Trinidad Head to the Eel River estuary.
