This is the final post for the series, “Let’s Talk About Flooding on Seabrook Island”.
What’s a King Tide?
King tide is a non-scientific term for astronomic tide that people in the Lowcountry often use to describe exceptionally high tides. Tides are long-period waves that roll around the planet as the ocean is “pulled” back and forth by the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun as these bodies interact with the Earth in their monthly and yearly orbits. It coincides with the moon being closest to the earth in its monthly elliptical orbit.
When are king tides or especially high astronomic high tides predicted in 2019?
- July 3-4
- July 30 – August 3
- August 28 – September 1
- September 25 – October 2
- October 26-31
- November 25-28
What Can We Expect in 2019?
-Charleston Harbor will have 710 astronomic high tides in 2019.
-The highest astronomic tide is projected to be 7.05’ (without wind or atmospheric pressure influences).
-19 or 3% of the astronomic high tides will be above 6.76’, or above 1’ above MHHW.
– 87 or 12% of the astronomic high tides will be above 6.26’, or above .5’ above MHHW.
– 241 or 34% of the astronomic high tides will be above 5.76’, above MHHW.
What can each Seabrook Island Resident do to help?
- Clean out your basement level. Make sure there are no chemicals, fertilizers, or paints on the floor of your garage. These can require a potentially expensive clean up if mixed with salt or freshwater. Turn in old chemicals, fertilizers, and paints at the Seabrook Island recycling center.
- Remove all valuables from your basement level, where there could be flooding.
- Make sure there is nothing blocking your basement storm vents that could prevent them from working properly.
- If you have electrical outlets at a low level in your basement, consider having an electrician relocate them higher up on the wall. Likewise with electrical switches.
- Make sure the street drain near your home is clear of mulch, pine straw and other debris allowing for drainage.
- Move your car to higher ground when flooding is imminent; saltwater is corrosive for car tires / undercarriage / engines.
- If it’s time to re-pave your driveway, consider using pervious materials to encourage draining.
- If it’s time to add plantings to your yard, consider installing a rain garden in an area that floods frequently using plants that soak up water.
One last note, NEVER drive through standing water. Water can damage the roadbed, causing it to collapse or wash out. The result is that the water may be much deeper than you anticipate.
-Submitted by the SIPOA General Operating and Maintenance Committee