Rising Sea Levels In Miami

The state of Florida is the region most susceptible to the effects of global warming in this country, according to scientists. Sea-level rise alone threatens thirty percent of the state’s beaches over the next 85 years. Climate change and global warming refer to the body of scientific evidence showing that the earth’s environment is warming due to human activity, including the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation. It is accepted science all over the world. Climate change in Florida has many effects such as the increase of our sea level and global warming this issue will cause a dramatic change in 2050.

There are many areas in Tampa that will be unfortunately underwater. As we saw with the heavy rains in late 2015, the most vital areas such as Westshore Ave, South Tampa, Bayshore Ave, and even Downtown had major flooding causing delays in traffic and safety anxieties. While the flooding only lasted a few days, the event brought attention to the Tampa’s faulty infrastructure and drainage systems. An alarming thought is how Tampa will be able to protect itself from a storm or the rising sea levels if the drainage systems are inadequate. The Tampa Bay area is due for a natural disaster any day now; the coastal area is highly vulnerable. According to Sara Kerr, “One place that we have to look carefully at is Tampa where there is a huge concentration at risk from a storm surge, but there hasn’t been an event for 150 years and so the city is fairly complacent about its risk” (2015). A possible catastrophe can pose as an environmental challenge in Tampa Bay as the highly populous areas will not be able to withstand rising sea levels that will occur.

Florida’s environment is a sub-tropical atmosphere, with hundreds of species of animals. Along the coast is were Florida’s natural wildlife and vegetation thrive; however, Florida has a serious issue that impacts its coastal environment. Each year global warming contributes to rising sea levels across the globe. Although Florida’s Coastal environment has survived for thousands of years, the increasing sea level along the gulf coast over recent years, has caused severe damage. Additional research is needed to understand the impact of rising waters on Florida’s Coastal eco-system.

Rising sea level can be caused by a variety of factors and can have an effect or influence even more. Future changes in sea level may impact human populations around the world and many other aspects of life on Earth more than many initially thought. The U.S. coast of the Gulf of Mexico is on track to be one of the most impacted by further sea level rise and the outcome could be detrimental to the entire coastline.

People living in Miami are in the face of danger, and for the most part they are not aware of it. Due to high population, Miami is the fourth largest city to become affected by sea level rise. (Ankum et al.) In the next 32-50 years, sea level is expected to rise by as much as two feet. (Ankum et al.) This two-foot rise will have detrimental effects on the urban settings of Miami. The amount of soil erosion that is undergoing at our beaches will greatly increase if a two-foot rise occurs. At a four-foot rise, road connectivity would begin to become affected. At a six-foot rise, Southern Florida would no longer be habitable as it would, for the most part, be underwater. Not much is being invested in mitigation efforts, most of what is being done are short term solutions. Instead of coming up with ideas to prevent and try to slow down the effects of climate change on our environment, we are focusing on ideas such as building up a sea wall, relocating power plants, and redesigning structures.

Since 1880, records show that the sea level has bone up 8 inches. If it goes up six more inches, as the current studies indicate could happen within 20 years, South Florida’s flood control would be devastated. In South Florida, taxpayers are already paying the price for climate change as salt-water pushes through porous bedrock into coastal drinking-water supplies, and rivers and canals choked by heavy rains have a harder time draining into the ocean.

What can you expect from flooding. Loss of life and damage to both buildings and other structures. Floods can also damage power systems which then cause the effected area to be without power. With the loss of power, water treatment plants are also effected. This could cause loss of water or even contamination. Floods can also damage roadways which would make it hard to get aid to the effected areas. South Florida is a major tourist location. Flooding can cause economic problems with the reduced tourism. Flooding of homes can cause severe medical problems. When a home is flooded the water saturates the walls and other places which can grow mold. This will cause respiratory problems and other health issues. (Flood)

As of right now, the measured water levels at Virginia Key, Fla., are about eight inches above predicted levels (Washington Post). The numbers surrounding climate change are now starting to become serious and people should be worried for their lives. While Climate Change is a main issue in the world, the problem usually goes overlooked.

Jeff Goodell's book introduces an inside look at rising sea levels and their effect on our world. Goodell's book describes a journey to different cities and towns to figure out how to conform to sea levels that are continuing to rise. He travels to places like small Alaskan villages, to the city of Lagos, and returns throughout the book to Miami. Miami is one of the areas that demonstrated the challenges of trying to keep the ocean at bay. According to Goodell, because of carbon dioxide emissions, sea level rising is guaranteed. People need to help the problem by lowering the emissions of these toxic gases.

Besides the direct effect of sea level rise, coastal flooding may also be a more prevalent and severe issue. For example, “sea level rise of two feet, without any changes in storms, would more than triple the frequency of dangerous coastal flooding throughout most of the Northeast” (Horton 374). The higher seas would increase the initial level, so that the flooding level would be much greater, especially during hurricanes. Recent hurricanes have become a good example of how much damage can occur to both humans and animals. For example, much of the coastal infrastructure is in danger of damage, which can affect commerce and the public’s health and safety: “In New York State, two feet of sea level rise is estimated...To flood or render unusable 212 miles of road, 77 miles of rail, 3,647 acres of airport facilities, and 539 acres of runways” (Horton 379). This loss of infrastructure may occur in every coastal Northeast state, especially in the south. In these southern Northeast states, the land is flat, which makes them easier to inundate with water. In addition to infrastructure, transportation is also at risk, with much of the major highways (I-95) and trains (Amtrak) at risk of coastal damage (Horton 380). More affected by sea level rise, ecosystems near water may be permanently damaged in upcoming years, and according to Rob Deconto, a climate scientist at University of

Dutch expert Henk Ovink once told New Times that “Miami will no longer be a land city, but a city in the sea.” (Weiss, 2015). There has been a rise of 10 inches in sea levels in the 19th century. As of today, the East Coast and Gulf of Mexico of the United States are the two areas that are more prone to sea level rises (Infographic, n.d.). Miami is the fourth-largest population in the world that is susceptible to this predicament. On top of that, it seems that floods are becoming more frequent and more damaging than ever. It is estimated by the end of the century, Miami can get another rise of 6 to 10 feet of water (McKie, 2014). There are clear signs of the tides taking effect in the city. Homes and shops are being surrounded by water in

Miami-Dade County in Florida has long been a national famous spot for the risk of sea level rise and the amount of exposed assets. According to the National Wildlife Federation report, Miami is facing up to a $3.5 trillion loss by 2070, due to sea level rising caused by climate change . Global sea levels are raised by warming oceans, melting glaciers and ice sheets. Water can reach any level through various combinations of tide, storm surge and sea level rise. The common elevation above the local high tide line is dynamically set to be three feet based on historical average of the highest tide level each day from 1983 to 2001. Land below three feet in Miami is facing high coastal risk and social vulnerability for a 73 percent risk of at least

Decades of research suggest that sea-levels are rising, and will continue to rise as a result of climate change. This rise will have the most immediate and significant impact on

Rising temperatures are causing melting glaciers, which cause rising oceans. Rising oceans will envelop entire coastal cities, killing or displacing millions of people. Our food sources will dwindle; entire species of animals will become extinct as we destroy their homes to rebuild; and as our population skyrockets, an unimaginable number of humans will be left homeless, starving, and sick.

and flooding. San Francisco, New York City, New Orleans, Seattle, and Miami all experience major flooding from the ocean level having risen so high. Thousands and thousands of people perish each summer across the USA alone—hundreds die in Chicago as the temperature soars to 100 for 2 weeks straight.