Beaufort will get flooding, tide data in real time with new tidal gauge. What to know
The tides are turning in Beaufort — and now, the city will be able to track them.
That’s because a tidal gauge was installed at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park last week, giving the City of Beaufort access to real-time water level data, tide predictions and flooding alerts.
The new gauge, which is sponsored by the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association, will help fill in the gaps between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s network of tidal stations.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s closest tidal stations to Beaufort County are in Charleston and Fort Pulaski, Georgia.
“Community demand for local water-level data has exceeded expectations.” said Nicole Elko, the science director of the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association, in a statement.
“Managers have elected to install sensors on their marsh shorelines, where chronic and episodic flooding is most severe.”
The gauge, which is powered by a solar panel, normally costs $3,500. But the city only paid $500 for the gauge with the help of the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium.
The city will monitor tidal levels through Hohonu, a Hawai’i-based start-up that specializes in environmental water monitoring. The startup also maintains dashboards for tidal gauges at Edisto Beach and the Port Royal Sound Maritime Center. It’s free to make an account at hohonu.io to track tidal levels across South Carolina.
This story was originally published November 21, 2021 at 2:56 PM.