Key West The Newspaper

For most of September and the first week of October, the regular high tides in the Keys will reach new heights.

Normal, cyclical events will add to current sea level rise and produce flooding of areas two feet above sea level.

On September 7-10^th and October 26-27, the high tides are predicted to reach 2.6 feet.

The public is invited to document “king tides” – the highest high tides of the day – to help the local government plan for future flood risks.

Everyone is welcome to participate in the “King Tide Photo Challenge,” to help create a living record of the changes to the coasts and shorelines.

The Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact Counties, consisting of Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach, are planning for an additional four to eight inches of sea level rise by 2030 and 12 to 32 inches by 2060, based on a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports.

Here is how to participate in the photo challenge:

1) Pick the site(s): The challenge needs photos from all over the Keys.  It is important to choose a site that is both low and recognizable. Especially important are areas near your neighborhood that most people might not know about. Please take photos of the site in normal circumstances as well as during the high tide.

 2) Time the tide: It is important to be there at the highest tide for the best photo. Check the tide chart for the right time for the chosen area (high tide time can vary by up to an hour depending on where the site is located).  http://www.saltwatertides.com/dynamic.dir/floridakeyssites.html

3) Send it in: Email the best photos to [email protected]. The best shots will be posted on Flickr. All high tide photos submitted to the cause will become the property of Monroe County, with full credit to the photographers. See past photos here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1KIxo4y-AcZqFJm0c0DIkV6nFpfM&usp=sharing

King tides photo contests began in Queensland, Australia in 2009 and are now held in at least three countries and ten states in the U.S.

The concept of “king tides” is not related to climate change or sea level rise. The term “king tide” is a non-scientific term used to describe naturally occurring, exceptionally high tides that take place when the sun and moon’s gravitational pull align making the oceans bulge.