Data dating back to El Nino events in 1997 and 2015 show water levels hitting 6 inches to nearly a foot higher than predicted tide levels. And with extremely warm water in recent weeks, it seems the latest El Nino’s coastal impacts of higher water levels are following that trend, said Brett Sanders, a coastal engineering expert [and professor of civil and environmental engineering] at UC Irvine. And it could be a glimpse into the future, he said. … “The water levels we’ll see for the next few months potentially will be elevated in a way future sea level rise will be like on a regular basis.” [Subscription required, campus-wide access provided by UCI Libraries. Sign-up here: https://guides.lib.uci.edu/news/ocregister] Read More