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San Diego Coastkeeper landed coverage in several local print and broadcast outlets

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Extreme tides offer look at rising sea levels
By Mike Lee
Wednesday, February 16, 2011 at 11:48 a.m.
Some of the biggest tides of the year will roll up on San Diego County beaches Thursday and
Friday, offering a glimpse into what might become typical if ocean levels rise as scientists
predict over the next 40 to 90 years.
The so-called 'king tides are only about 6 inches higher than typical high tides but that amount
of change can make a difference in some low-lying areas and it`s no more than halI oI the
increase projected for 2050.
Federal officials, environmentalists and others are asking residents to help create an online
record oI this week`s tides by documenting the kind oI changes that global warming may bring to
vulnerable areas oI the county`s 70-mile coastline such as Oceanside Harbor, Mission Beach and
several spots along San Diego Bay.
Already, local governments in San Diego County are among the most aggressive in the country
when it comes to preparing for higher seas, which are predicted to rise up to 18 inches by 2050
compared to the 20th century. Worst-case scenarios for 2100 show a much more dramatic
increase of about 60 inches, forcing local officials to consider strategic retreats from the coast in
places, more shoreline defenses in spots and altering infrastructure in other places.
'King tides give us a rare chance to visualize how gravely sea level rise will change our
shoreline, says Jen Kovecses, staII scientist Ior San Diego Coastkeeper. 'The photo initiative is
a more interactive way that people can participate and contribute something that will be a lasting
piece oI inIormation.
Unusually high tides may be useful for considering the effects of sea-level rise, but they are not
the same thing.

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SAN DI E GO -- Environmentalists have issued a dire warning about the impact of global
warming in San Diego.

On Wednesday morning, 10News took a boat ride along the Embarcadero, Coronado and near
the Coronado Bridge, as high tide reached just under seven feet.

For the first time in San Diego, members of the nonprofit group the San Diego Coastkeeper took
pictures of the unusually high tide.

While the high tide itself is a natural phenomenon during winter months, Coastkeeper members
said the tide provides a glimpse into what impact will occur along San Diego's coast as sea levels
continue to rise due to global warming.

"There's predictions for this area to be at high risk of flooding," said Jen Kovecses, a biologist
with San Diego Coastkeeper.

Coastkeeper members said Coronado is one example where flooding will only get worse. On
Wednesday, the tide level almost reached a bike and walking path along the water.

But while skeptics of global warming agree the melting of ice sheets affects certain species and
their habitats, they argue there's no proof it'll affect sea levels long-term.

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Updated 10:15 AM PST, F ri, Feb 18, 2011


Five people stood on a small white boat Thursday morning off the Coronado shoreline, attention
turned toward the high tides rocking the Silver Strand isthmus.
Jen Kovesces shot a photograph of the risen water level at its peak: an image of the future.
A San Diego storm combined with a perigean spring tide provided a glimpse of how a substantial
sea-level rise anticipated in the coming decades will aIIect the region`s coast.
'As we were boating past Coronado, once you get to where the residential areas start aIter the
military bases, there are houses you can see right at the shoreline oI the bay, said Kovesces, a
Sportaneous - landed a City Files feature in the outdoors issue of San Diego Magazine