Mobile About — Mean High Water

Mean High Water (MHW) is a project capturing the impacts of sea level rise and flooding across South Carolina's Lowcountry. The project's title references the Mean High Water tidal datum defined and maintained by NOAA's Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services.

The Rising Challenge
Charleston Harbor's tides and the Atlantic Ocean are increasingly encroaching into both the natural landscape and built environment of Charleston and the greater Lowcountry region. The acceleration of coastal flooding is stark and alarming:

73.1% of all major coastal floods (≥ 8-ft MLLW) recorded in Charleston Harbor from 1921 through 2022 have occurred since 2015 alone
The 1990s averaged 18.8 coastal floods per year
The 2010s saw this number surge to 42.4 floods annually—an increase of more than 200%

Statistics last updated 12/2023.
The Project
MHW was founded in 2020 by photographer and engineer Jared Bramblett as an evolving, collaborative effort to document flooding's real-world impacts on our communities. This project seeks to create a visual record of how rising seas are transforming the places we call home.

Interested in contributing?
We welcome collaboration from community members, researchers, and fellow documentarians. Please reach out to learn more about participating.

Contact:
Jared Bramblett
jaredbramblett@gmail.com

Disclaimer
All thoughts and opinions presented on this site are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of any other organization.

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