Wetlands Watch has already started recruiting volunteers for the fall 2024 King Tide measuring initiative Catch the King (CTK). People of all ages are encouraged to participate in this once-a-year effort to track the highest tides of 2024 and, by extension, the flooding impact on the environment and communities. What about getting a group of neighbors together? A civic association? Some HOA members? Friends from the Y? Kids in camp with your kids this summer?
Catch the King relies on volunteers to track the highest predicted tides of the year in southeast Virginia. King Tide in late October happens when the moon, earth, sun, and fall full/new moons are aligned in this part of the state. Volunteer citizen scientists add their data to that King Tide data collected in the past. Scientists and others map the changes in sea level rise and flooding and make planning, zoning, and policy recommendations, implement stop gaps for immediate flooding mitigation, and the like.
Why volunteer
As the videos below show, citizen scientists are people of all ages who volunteer to identify King Tide flooding. Volunteers mention the personal benefits in addition to the benefits to the commons: The data helps the government take action to improve stormwater runoff systems, protect communities from sea level rise and flooding, and increase/improve resilience. From a volunteer perspective, participating makes people feel like they are making a difference in and for their community.
Practically speaking, getting more mapping done on the NNK would benefit us all. While there are volunteers on the Northern Neck, the majority are in the Hampton Roads area, which makes total sense, but sea level rise and flooding (think Lewisetta and Lottsburg) will happen more as time goes on and flooding and subsidance increase.