Sandbags line Vancouver beaches in preparation for king tide season

Sandbags have appeared once again on beaches in Vancouver’s Kitsilano neighborhood as part of the city’s winter weather preparations.

A spokesperson for the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation says the sandbags on Locarno Beach are part of the city’s annual preparations for king tide season.

Other preparations include removing washed up logs and other debris from shorelines, and temporarily reinforcing parts of the city’s seawall to brace for winter storms.

“As previous years, staff closely monitor changing weather patterns and will close sections of the seawall as necessary to help keep the public safe from surging tides and overhead hazards,” the spokesperson said.

“We ask the public to respect all closures… give staff plenty of space to work and stay away from the water’s edge during surges.”

The parks board adds king tides, the biggest of the year, occur when the sun, moon and Earth align. Throughout the winter, this can happen on a weekly basis and Vancouver’s coastal infrastructure must be prepared for water levels to raise by more than a metre.

“As the tide retreats, strong surges can suck debris, vegetation, infrastructure and even people out to sea,” the spokesperson said.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, climate change means king tides will likely reach higher and higher inland as sea levels rise in the future. Experts add king tides could be a vision of the future’s everyday high tides and should be analyzed by cities to help them prepare for the future impacts of sea level rise.

The parks board says unless coupled with strong winds, a king tide is not typically a cause for concern among residents.