SeaRise project to fight against climate change - Live 5 News WCSC

SeaRise project to fight against climate change

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - As Charleston continues to deal with an uptick in flooding, an initiative known as the SeaRise project is working to fight climate change and rising tides.

This project empowers you to make a difference by contributing data with the simple snap of a photo.

Beneath these SeaRise signs, you’ll spot a ruler designed to precisely measure flood depths.

The goal of the project is to promote community-driven, collaborative solutions.

The South Carolina Aquarium is working with a flood modeler at the University of South Carolina.

Scientific data, such as a 2017 NOAA report, reveals that Charleston has witnessed sea-level rise at a rate nearly double the global average, with an alarming 1.3 inches per decade since 1921.

Global projections estimate an additional one to four feet by 2100.

Participants in this initiative are actively engaged in photo documenting these issues, providing critical data that can inform strategies to mitigate these challenges.

Each entry pings a NOAA buoy which records air pressure and water temperature.

Flooding not only affects the streets, making them unsafe to navigate, but it can also contaminate the drinking water supply and disrupt critical wildlife nesting areas.

Dr. Sara McDonald, the director of conservation at the South Carolina Aquarium, says it’s important to keep in mind how impactful these signs can be to certain communities.

“The marginalized and underserved communities disproportionately experienced the impacts of flooding, more so than other communities”, McDonald said. “And I think it’s really important that we document this so that we can make sure that the resilience planning is addressing the flooding experienced by those communities.”

Here are five locations where you can find SeaRise signs around Charleston:

West Ashley Park at Church Creek

- Brittlebank Park
- Hagood Ave and Line St
- King St and Huger St
- Morris St and Smith St

McDonald explains the two important things they are looking for during this process.

“Going out and capturing photos during the king tide, high tide across multiple locations. Well throughout Charleston will also help inform his flood model,” McDonald said. “So, it’s multiple locations of the same event and then the same event across multiple floods across time.”

Officials encouraging community members to suggest additional locations for SeaRise signs.

Click here for more information on the project.

Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.