The Secret Lives of Tide Gauge Operators - Historical Data and Sea Level Rise

Explore the fascinating world of historical tide gauge operators in this 21-minute podcast episode from AGU's Third Pod from the Sun series. Delve into the secret lives of 19th and early 20th-century men stationed at harbors across the United States who meticulously recorded water levels for infrastructure development. Join Stefan Talke, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Portland State University, as he uncovers letters and archival data to reconstruct mean sea levels, tidal processes, and extreme events in major coastal cities. Discover how this historical information is being used to understand the impact of climate change-induced sea level rise on urban areas. The episode covers topics such as early measurement techniques, the transition to automatic gauges, the role of observers, and even touches on the USS Constitution's involvement. Gain insights into the methods researchers use to unearth valuable historical data and its applications in modern climate science.