King Tide, Sea Level Rise, and Flooding
A King Tide is a popular, non-scientific term people often use to describe exceptionally high tides.
These events offer a glimpse of what everyday high tides could look like as sea levels continue to rise.
“King Tides are higher than normal tides that typically occur during a new or full moon and when the Moon is at its perigee, or during specific seasons around the country.” Excerpted from NOAA.
A King Tide Up Close
NepRWA staff and community partners host King Tide events along the Estuary to observe these exceptionally high tides up close.
Below are photos from Tenean Beach in Dorchester, taken in February 2024. Even before high tide, water flooded the Greenway Trail and much of the playground parking lot, reaching about 2 feet above the typical shoreline.
NepRWA’s Coastal Resilience Work
Our coastal communities are already feeling the beginning of a changing climate—and nowhere is it more visible than in the Neponset Estuary.
In addition to the stormwater, heat, and drought issues experienced by the rest of the Watershed, coastal communities are also uniquely threatened by tidal flooding, storm surges, and sea level rise.
NepRWA is helping to reduce flooding and strengthen the Neponset Estuary by collecting salt marsh data, improving flood risk models, and creating a restoration plan to lessen the impacts of coastal flooding.
Learn about NepRWA’s Coastal Resilience Program.
Get Involved!
The Neponset Estuary Community Advisory Committee (CAC) brings together residents, community groups, business owners, and municipal staff to plan for climate change and guide the future of open space along the estuary.
Interested in joining the CAC? Get more info here.
For more information, or to get involved, please contact NepRWA River Restoration Director Sean McCanty, at mccanty@neponset.org
