This weekend, the California coast will see high tides about a foot-and-a-half above normal. These King Tides occur when the gravitational force of the moon and the sun are at their greatest, pulling our oceans to extreme levels.<\/p>\n
In San Diego, high tides will rise higher than usual, and low tides will be even lower.<\/p>\n
The impact on the Mission Bay environment, especially at high tide, will get the attention of a group of people coming out Saturday morning to observe the King Tides. The group will meet where Rose Creek flows into the north end of Mission Bay.<\/p>\n
Karin Zirk, executive director of the Friends of Rose Creek<\/a>, said King Tides give us our best look at the reality of rising sea levels.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat the California Coastal Commission is telling us is that the King Tide is approximately what an average high tide will be by 2050,\u201d Zirk said.<\/p>\n So what does that mean?<\/p>\n \u201cPlaces like Mission Bay High (School), which is right over here,\u201d Zirk said, pointing across the creek, \u201care going to be at high-flood risk. Especially if the high tide coincides with a lot of rain, they\u2019re going to be underwater.\u201d<\/p>\n Friends of Rose Creek will host a gathering of volunteers on Saturday morning and take pictures of the King Tide levels.<\/p>\n The event is also sponsored by the San Diego Bird Alliance. Their conservation advocate, Savannah Stallings, will be keeping an eye on the local bird population.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have some nice birds around here,\u201d Stallings said. \u201cWe have some Coots with little white beaks and black heads. We have some Wigeons that sound like a dog\u2019s squeaky toy when they are chattering.\u201d<\/p>\n Along with the birds, Stallings sees a wildlife habitat created by coastal salt marshes. Rising sea levels in the future will cause salt marshes to migrate inland.<\/p>\n But not if the “built environment” stands in the way.<\/p>\n \u201cThe marshes can migrate over time as sea levels rise. Then there will be marsh remaining as the water levels rise. But if you have lower marsh, mid marsh, then a parking lot, there\u2019s nowhere for the marsh to go and so it will disappear,\u201d Stallings said.<\/p>\n Coastal cities are exploring ways to move man-made infrastructure back from the shoreline as sea levels rise. Stallings said we have to ask the same questions about the future of the natural environment.<\/p>\n \u201cAs this area is redeveloped, as the De Anza Natural plan<\/a> moves forward, the city really does need to think seriously about where the marsh will migrate over time so that it\u2019s not a bad thing, and the habitat does not completely disappear because otherwise it will,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n