Rising With The Tides

They say rising tides lift all boats. Around here they also flood many roads. 

This week we have our first fall coastal storm of the year. It isn't a tropical storm but that doesn't mean we aren't getting strong winds driving up the tides. These are the types of events where flood mapping is particularly important. For the past 9 years, as part of Wetland Watch's Catch the King Tide activity, I've been going out and mapping how far high tides come up onto the land. There are multiple scheduled events each year based on the lunar affect on the tides. But these ad hoc events for storms, or just steady on-shore winds, that drive up the water level are important to capture the weather’s effect on the tidal flooding. 

Today, high tide came just after sunrise so I got up, prepped, and headed out first thing. On my way to my usual first stop I passed this flooded marsh. It passes under the road but get up into people's yards about 100 yd from the creek bank. 

Tides from Sept 24. Data from https://water.noaa.gov/gauges/FTMV2#hg=official

Usually there is a narrow creek here and lots of marsh grass

Not the type of watering you want for your garden

 My usual first stop is a boat ramp near home. Even though the city recently redid the parking lot, the entrance was flooded. After finding a dry place to park, I walk along the edge of the water occasionally recording the precise location in an app. I can record a point without really breaking stride making data collection about as easy as taking a walk. And in many places, I can do it without even getting my feet wet. 

Float kayak launch that you would need to climb to get to. The trailer launch is there next to the pilings

The road to the BMX track is flooded over

My next stop is a road in Hampton that regularly floods over. The local planning district has a sensor at the road to alert them, locals, and Waze, that the road is flooded and to avoid it. In the five minutes I was mapping there, I saw two vehicles and a school bus turn around to avoid the flooded road. When I map here and check the sensor, I drive in from one side, map, then have to drive 5 minutes out of the neighborhood and reenter from a different direction to get to the other side. The first time I was here I walked out into the water and it reached to the top of my knee boots. So now I avoid risking soaking my feet and drive around. 

No getting through this road today

I ended my day at home where the creek out back has flooded into the wooded backyard. It is still well away from the house. Even though the forecast is for three or four more tide cycles of flooding and the next two should be the highest, it will stay away from the house. I did a little mapping and then waded through the water to our pier. The marsh was almost all covered. I think this panoramic really captures the sense of being out there standing in the middle of the flood. 

360 degree view from my pier. Not much land to see

If you are in the Hampton Roads area, please consider joining Wetland Watch and Catch the King in October. And if we like what you read here, consider subscribing to blog announcements over on the right.