Our Mission

King Tides projects help people all over the world understand how sea level rise will impact their local community. Via smartphones and social media, participants snap and share images of “king tides” — the extreme tides of today which will be the average water level of the future.

The pictures that people take help scientists and managers better understand and plan for flood risks, and help artists and educators communicate about sea level rise.

Recent News about King Tides

• ABC News: People around the world are helping scientists in the fight against climate change by photographing this year’s incredible, extreme high tides
• Business Insider: Photos of ‘king tides’ globally show risks of climate change

The King Tides Project has two goals:

1. Educate the public about sea level rise. Millions of people – many of whom are physically, socially, or economically disadvantaged – live in areas which will be vulnerable or uninhabitable within the next 50 years. Yet most people don’t understand these risks, and support for adaptation planning is weak. We aim to help people understand what’s at risk and how they can be part of the adaptation solution.

2. Create a catalogue of hyperlocal flood risk data for researchers and decision makers. Around the world, trillions of dollars worth of private property, public infrastructure, and businesses are at risk, but flood prediction models often lack good validation data, and parcel-scale information needed for municipal planning is missing. We help fill those gaps through our innovative citizen science.

How We Work

Organizers of King Tides projects the world over are part of a network that brings us together to share resources and support each other. Our network openly shares the King Tides experience. We embrace principles of:

• Collaboration
• Open data sharing and creative commons licensing
• Fun
• Diversity and local relevance
• Engaging regular citizens in science
• Curiosity about natural phenomena and the changing world around us
• Responsibility for improving our common future on a shared planet

Organizers do not endorse any political party or candidate through King Tides. We do support projects that seek to provide resilient, healthy, thriving coastal areas and increase our understanding of climate change.

Who We Are

The King Tides Project is a non-profit organization whose mission is to help people in coastal areas all over the world understand how climate change will impact their lives. We do this through photo-documentation, community mapping, art, and science. This network of local initiatives is organized by planners, surfers, photographers, landscape architects, teachers, insurers, environmentalists, and others with an interest in the coast.

The contents of this website, and ad hoc coordination of the network is facilitated by two long-time King Tides organizers:

• Marina Psaros – King Tides Project founder and California King Tides Project organizer, USA
• Heather Lynn Remacle – King Tides International Network and Communications Lead, British Columbia Canada

The original King Tides outreach campaign was conceived of by Phil Watson of Australia’s Office of Environment and Heritage, Department of the Premier and Cabinet, during the 2009 king tides season. The same year, project were started in California, Oregon, Washington, and BC Canada. The movement has been growing ever since. You can be a part of it too by joining a project, starting a project, or partnering with us.