The King Tide Photo Initiative documents water levels in areas vulnerable to sea level rise and erosion. We are likely to face these conditions with increasing frequency and severity as sea level continues to rise. If you took photos you would like to submit, you can email them to us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Above: King Salmon at high tide, 11-14-12. Photo by J. Kalt.

See below for more photographs, and visit our Facebook page for even more!

King Tides are extreme high tide events that occur when the sun and moon's gravitational forces magnify one another. 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.

Climate Change, Sea Level Rise, and the King Tide

Increases in global sea levels have been recorded by NOAA tide gauges for many years. The steady rise has been attributed to warming of the oceans along with melting glaciers and land-based ice sheets. Climate modeling combined with these direct observations suggest sea level rise will continue well into the future with significant implications for the Humboldt Bay Area’s shoreline. Scientific analyses predict sea level could rise 16 inches by 2050, with upper estimates of more than 55 inches by 2100.

Understanding the future impacts from sea level rise is a first step toward adapting to these changes. For additional information on Humboldt Bay area climate change impacts and adaptation, please visit our webpage on Sea Level Rise.

Eureka Slough at Bay Street in Eureka. Photo by M. Mitchell, 11-14-12.

Vanessa Vasquez kayaks next to Jackson Ranch Road in the Arcata Bottoms. Photo by T. Halstead, 11-14-12.

Shoreline at Field's Landing. Photo by T. Clohessy, 11-14-12.

Levee breach on Swain Slough near Pine Hill Road, Eureka. Photo by J. Kalt 11-14-12.