10/24/2015

Miami Beachs battle to stem rising tides | Miami Herald

MIAMI BEACH

OCTOBER 23, 2015

Miami Beachs battle to stem rising tides

HIGHLIGHTS

The citys effort, so far a success, is test of engineering solutions to sea rise
Street of the future has two tiers and is very expensive
If climate projections hold true, entire region will face flood-control overhaul

1 of 21

STORY BY JOEY FLECHAS AND JENNY STALETOVICH

jflechas@miamiherald.com
VIDEO AND IMAGES BY EMILY MICHOT
emichot@miamiherald.com

Theseastartedboilingupintothestreet.AmajorMiamiBeachroadwasunderwater.Touristssloshedtohotelsthroughsaltwateruptotheir
shins,pantsrolledup,suitcasesinonehand,shoesintheother.
ButonecornerofMiamiBeachstayedperfectlydry.InSunsetHarbour,whichhashistoricallyfloodedduringseasonalhightides,thewaterwas
heldatbaylastmonthbyaradicallyre-engineeredstreetscapethatwillbeputtothetestagainthisweekwithanotherkingtide.
Thedesignfeaturingastreetandsidewalkperchedonanuppertier,2feetabovethefrontdoorsofroadsidebusinesses,andbackedbya
hulkingnearbypumphouserepresentswhatonecityengineercalled"thestreetoftomorrow."

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Miami Beachs battle to stem rising tides | Miami Herald

ThisfoundationforMiamiBeachsfutureisactuallyacomplicatedandexpensiveexperiment:Asmuchas$500milliontoinstall80pumpsand
raiseroadsandseawallsacrossthecity.Afirstphaseappearstobeworking,atleastfornow.Butjustoneyearintoamassivepublicworksproject
thatcouldtakesixmore,itswaytoosoontosaywhetherandforhowlongitcankeepthestaggeringlyvaluablerealestateofaninternational
touristmeccadryespeciallyinthefaceofsealevelriseprojectionsthatseemtoonlygetscarierwitheverynewanalysis.
"Wedonthaveaplaybookforthis,"saidBetsyWheaton,assistantbuildingdirectorforenvironmentandsustainabilityinMiamiBeach.
Butinmanyways,MiamiBeachiswritingjustthatthefirstengineeringmanualforadaptingSouthFloridasurbanlandscapetorisingseas.The
entiresoutherntipofthepeninsulatopsclimatechangerisklistsbutBeachleadershaveactedwiththemosturgency,waivingcompetitivebidding
andapprovingcontractsonanemergencybasistofast-trackthework.Tidalfloodinglappingatposhshopsandtheyardsofpriceyhomesmakesa
persuasiveargumentthatclimatechangeisntonlyreal,butaclearandpresentthreat.
ReadmoreaboutMiamiBeachfast-trackingsealevelriseprojectswithoutcompetitivebids
Thevulnerabilityofthelow-lyingwesternedgeofthe"billiondollarsandbarrealestatethatpioneeringdeveloperCarlFisherliterallydredged
upfromBiscayneBayistoppedonlybytheFloridaKeys,whereevenahalf-footmoreoceanwillinundatelargechunksofsomeislandslikeBig
Pine.Thatssoberingwhenaconservativeprojectionfromaregionalclimatechangecompactpredictsatleasttwofeetby2060.Astudyreleased
thismonth,factoringinnewdataonuncheckedgreenhousegasemissions,predictsapotentialfive-footrise.
"Werelookingatfairlysubstantial,veryharddecisions,"saidRhondaHaag,MonroeCountyschiefofsustainability."Allisnotlost.Weregood
forthenext15yearsbutweredoingasmuchaswecantoprepareinadvance.

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Miami Beachs battle to stem rising tides | Miami Herald

Miami-Dade,BrowardandPalmBeachcounties,alongwithMonroe,arepartofalandmark2009compactthatacknowledgedtherealityof
climatechangeamajorachievementonapoliticallydivisiveissue.Butonthemainland,whereitmaytakeafewmoredecadestoseethe
inlandthrustoftidalfloodingalreadyhappeningintheKeysandontheBeach,therehasbeenalotmoretalkingthandoing.
ThatslargelybecauseastheBeachsambitiousendeavorunderlinesrebuildingSouthFloridatosurviverisingseaswillcomeatconsiderable
cost.EachBeachpumpsruns$2to$3million,arelativepittance.OverhaulingmajorfloodcanalgatesandpumpsalongtheMiami-Dadecoast
couldbehundredsoftimesmorecostly.Inthelongtermloomsthedaunting,big-dollarsprospectofraisinghomes,roads,buildings.Itwillall
adduptobillions.
Thentherearetherippleeffectsofyearsofconstruction,trafficjamsandpotentialenvironmentaldamagethestillundeterminedconsequences
ofpumpingrunofftaintedbyfertilizer,dogpoopandroadspillsintoBiscayneBayordeepundergroundbeneathafreshwateraquiferthatwill
alsoshrinkastheoceanencroaches.Justtryingtocoordinatesuchamassiveeffortbetweengovernmentscanbehugelycomplex.
Youlookaroundandsayshowmeaprojectandwestillhaveahardtime,saidJenniferJurado,directorofBrowardCountysdivisionofNatural
ResourcesPlanningandManagement.Partoftheproblemisitsnotuniformorcomprehensiveintheapproach.
Fornow,theeffortontheBeachisthebesttestofthepotentialforpumps,pipesandasphalttokeeptherestofSouthFloridadryintothenext
century.

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Miami Beachs battle to stem rising tides | Miami Herald

Old problem getting worse

AnyBeachold-timerwilltellyouthecityhasfloodedfordecadesduringkingtidesthesamethinghappensinmuchoflow-lyingFlorida.Butall
thedataandtidegaugesconfirmitsgettingworse.
"Thekingtideshavegottenhigherinrecentyears,"saidColinPolsky,directorofthecenterforenvironmentalstudiesatFloridaAtlantic
University."Andthekingtideswereseeingmorerecentlyhavebeenhigherthantheywerepredictedtobe."
OntheBeach,damagetocars,businessesandhomesfromfloodingbothfromhightidesandrainshadsteadilymounted."Duringaflash
floodinJune2009,welost47vehiclesinourgarage,"saidRonWolff,wholivesattheMirador1200condotoweronWestAvenue.

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Miami Beachs battle to stem rising tides | Miami Herald

Withfloodinggrowingfromoccasionalannoyancetoeconomicconcern,in2012thecitycraftedaboldblueprintforoverhaulinganantiquated
stormwatersystemthatreliedongravitytodrainintothebay.Highertidesincreasinglybackedupthedrainpipesandevenreversedtheflow,
turningthesystemintoaconduittopumpseawaterupthroughsewergratesontoheavilytraveledarterieslikeAltonRoad.
Anewcommissionandmayorin2013haspushedtoreplumbthecityevenfaster,droppinganinitialideatodrillundergroundinjectionwells
withfewerenvironmentalrisks.Thenewsystemcollectsfloodwaters,screensoutlargedebrislikeplasticbottlesandpumpsitbackoutinto
BiscayneBaythroughone-wayvalvesknownasbackflowpreventersthatkeeprisingBiscayneBaywatersfromfloodingdrainagepipes.Theplan
alsocallsforraisingseawalls,mostofwhichareonprivateproperty,andraisingsomeroads.
Thefirstnewpumps,powerfulenoughtoconstantlyslurpthefloodingtideandspititbackoutintoBiscayneBay,wereinstalledlastyearinsome
ofthecitysworsthotspots:AltonRoad,WestAvenue,SunsetHarbourandCrespiBoulevardinNorthBeach.Theyvekeptroadsdrythrougha
firstroundoffalltides.

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Miami Beachs battle to stem rising tides | Miami Herald

ButevenMayorPhilipLevine,thebiggestcheerleaderofeffortsto"riseabovesealevelrise,wouldacknowledgethatpumpsalonerepresenta
temporaryfixa30-to40-yearbuffer.Iffutureprojectionsholdtrue,moreroadswillhavetoberaisedalongwithbuildingsastherisingsea
pushesupthroughtheporouslimestonespongeunderlyingmuchofSouthFlorida.Firstfloorsmighthavetobevacated,rustinginfrastructure
replaced,codesandbuildingelevationsdramaticallybeefedup.
Floodinginotherneighborhoodsduringhightidesalsomakesitcleartheresalongwaytogobeyondthe$100millionfirstphase.
"Wehaventsolvedanythingyet,"saidMiamiBeachPublicWorksDirectorEricCarpenter."Weregettingthere,andweretryingtodealwithas
manyneighborhoodsaswecan."
ThescopeofworkneededevenforarelativelysmallcitylikeMiamiBeach,hometoabout90,000permanentresidentsbutfarmorevisitors,is
huge,requiringtearingupstreetsanddisruptingtrafficacrossthebarrierisland.

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Miami Beachs battle to stem rising tides | Miami Herald

WESTAVENUEWILLBERAISEDNEXT.UPCOMINGDRAINAGEWORK:LOWERNORTHBAYROAD,NORMANDYISLE,LA
GORCE,ANDPALM,HIBISCUS&VENETIANISLANDS

TheseawallalongIndianCreekDrivethecitysnewgroundzeroforwhatLevinecalls"sunny-dayflooding"alsoneedstobereplaced.
Propertyownersacrossthestreetareresponsibleformostofthewall,soownerswillhavetoworkwiththecitytomaketheupgrades.Indian
CreekDriveandCollinsAvenuearemaintainedbythestate,sotheFloridaDepartmentofTransportationhastostepin.DOTspokeswoman
IvetteRuiz-Pazsaidinanemailthatfivepumpstationsarecurrentlyunderanalysisbuttheagencyhasntproducedcostestimatesyetorsaid
whenitsanalysiswillbedone.

The daunting cost of resiliency

Sofar,despitethemountingscienceandthefloodingscenesplayingoutinSouthFlorida,Tallahasseehaslargelyignoredresiliencyplanningand
projects,particularlythecosts.Justthisyear,Gov.RickScottwhohaslargelydodgedtheclimatechangeissuethroughouthistenurevetoed
$750,000fortheBeachspumpprogram.
Thereason?Theproject"doesnotprovideaclearreturnoninvestment."
ScottmightbewellservedbytalkingtoBeachhotelandbusinessowners.Duringoneofthetidalfloodslastmonth,asupervisorattheAlden
HotelonIndianCreekDrivehandedoutplastictrashbagsforgueststowraparoundtheirlegsastheysteppeddownintofloodwatersinfrontof
thehotel.Thehigher-thanpredictedfloodshurtprofits.
"Wevehadcancellations.Somepeoplehaveleftearly,"saidJenniferHernandez,addingthatshecouldntblamethem."Theycamehereon
vacation,andthisiswhattheyget."

$400-$500 million

istheestimatedcostofMiamiBeachsseariseprojects

Beyondthestridentpoliticsofclimatechange,thehighcostofre-engineeringandrebuildingforimpactsstilldecadesdowntheroadrepresents
thebiggesthurdleforpolicymakersandplanners.Mostnotably,Miami-DadeCounty,decidedtorebuildanagingandleak-pronesewageplanton
VirginiaKeyasvulnerabletoseariseasMiamiBeachbecausemovingitwouldcostanadditional$3billion.Ittookconsiderablepressure
fromenvironmentalgroupsduringMiami-Dadesrecentbudgetprocesstoget$300,000earmarkedforengineeringworktohelpthecounty
prepareitsinfrastructure.Thatsjustmoneyforplanning,notactuallybuildinganything.
OntheBeach,problemswerebigenoughthatpoliticalleaderswerewillingtoriskraisingratesonresidentstopayforit.Whatwasinitially
projectedasa$200millionoverhaulisnowestimatedatbetween$400and$500million.Themoneywillcomefromresidentswhopay
stormwaterfees,taxesandifthereispoliticalsupportfromthestateandfederalgovernments.
Beachcommissionersraisedstormwaterratesby84percentlastyeartosecure$90millionworthofbondstostartworkinthefallof2014,when
pumpsquicklywentinalongthesouthwesternshoreofthebarrierisland.Thecosttothetypicalresidentrosefrom$9.06to$16.67permonth.
Andthoserateswilllikelykeepgoingupinthefuture.BondratingagencyMoodysgavethebondissuanceanegativeoutlookbecauseof
anticipateddebtinthefuture,coupledwithaneedforratehikes.Thiscouldultimatelyimpactthecityscreditrating.
ThoughtheBeachisfaroutfront,mostexpertsbelievetheentireregionwillrequireamassiveinvestment.HarveyRuvin,Miami-DadeCountys
clerkofcourtsandchairofacountytaskforceonsealevelrise,toldaroomfullarealestateagentsatarecentconferencethatregionalleaders
needtostartplanningnowandimplementingsolutionsnow.
PeopleallovertheworldwantapieceofSouthFlorida.Butwilltheystillwantitiftheydontthinkwecankeepourheadsabovewater?
"Wehavetoomuchatstaketoquestionwhetherweshouldembarkuponthisadaptationmission,"hesaid."Wegot$6trillionworthofbuilt
environment."

A model for South Floridas future

TherestofcoastalSouthFloridaiscloselywatchingwhatworksanddoesntontheBeach.

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Miami Beachs battle to stem rising tides | Miami Herald

Sandwichedbetweentheoceanandthelow-lyingEverglades,themainlandresponsetoclimatechangewillbefartrickier.Itsnotjustamatterof
stoppingfloods.TheregionwillalsohavetotakestepstoprotectitswatersupplytheBiscayneaquiferisoneofthemostporousontheplanet,
highlyvulnerabletosaltwaterintrusion.Anyfloodcontrolmeasureswillalsohavetofactorin$10billioninEvergladesrestorationworkintended
tofixtheailingriverofgrassthatoncesuppliedmuchoftheregionsfreshwaterandhaswitheredtolessthanhalfitshistoricflow.

SOUTHFLORIDASITSATOPTHEBISCAYNEAQUIFER,MADEOFPOROUSLIMESTONE,WHICHISVULNERABLETO
SALTWATERINTRUSION

Ontopofthat,effortsneedtobecoordinatedsothatonecityseffortsdontundoworkbysay,watermanagers.Abigstepwillcomewhen
governmentsstartchangingbuildingcodes,somethingthatwilltakealotofpoliticalwill.
Developershavesaidtome,Wewillnotselfregulate.Weneedleadershipfromourgovernment,saidMiami-DadeCountyCommissioner
DaniellaLevineCava,whowaselectedlastyearandisteamingupwithCommissionerRebeccaSosatobridgethepoliticaldivideandmove
forwardonasuiteofresolutionsMiami-DadeCountypassedearlierthisyear.
Whatsstilllacking,saidLevineCava,whowasinWashingtonthisweekmeetingwithlawmakersandtheEvergladescaucus,isasenseof
urgency.
Itsnotsomuchdenialthatitsnottrue,shesaid.Itsdenyingtheurgency.
Butnatureseemstobeincreasinglymakingthecase.Thispastkingtide,partsofKeyLargowerefloodedwithkneedeepwaterformorethantwo
weeks.Oneangryresident,alawyer,isinvestigatingaclassaction.ArecentmodelbytheU.S.GeologicalSurveyshowssaltwaterintrusionwithin
ahalfmileoftheSouthDadewellfieldsthatsupplyfreshwatertoalloftheKeys.
Weregettingtothepointwherewecandeterminethattherearecertainareaswherecertaininfluencesarestrongerthanothers,saidDorothy
Sifuentes,asupervisoryhydrologistatUSGSsCaribbean-FloridaWaterScienceCenterinDavie.
Whatthatmeansisthatinsomeareas,saltwatermaysneakintotheaquiferthroughcanals.Inothers,itmaypushinfromtheocean.
TheSouthFloridaWaterManagementDistrict,whosepumpsandfloodcontrolstructuresplayakeyroleinkeepingtheregiondryanddrinking
watersafe,identified20vulnerablepumpssixyearsago.Butwithfiveyearsofbudgetcuts,onlyonepumphasbeenfixed.Thedistrictisnowin
themidstofasecondstudytoassessstructuresatrisk.
Weneedtounderstandwhatisthetruelevelofservicetodaywiththischangedcondition,andwhenIsaychangedImeanlandusenownot
whattheyusedatthetimeandsealevelrise.Perhapstherainfallpatternshavechangedtoo,saidJayanthaObeysekera,whooversees
modelingforthedistrict.Beforewecomeupwiththesolution.weneedtounderstandthepresentvulnerabilitiesofthesystem.
Knowingthegeneralthreatfromsealevelriseisonething.Butnowgovernmentsfindthemselvestryingtonaildownthenittygrittyneededfor
specificchanges.
Itisalengthy,laboriousplanningprocessbutifyoudonthavethosetypesofinvestmentsmadehowdoyoudefendagainstprojectsand
increasingcostssoitjustdoesntseemarbitrary,Juradosaid.

The ripple effects of resiliency

Sofar,theworkontheBeachhassucceededatkeepingmorestreetsdry.Butquestionsandrippleeffectsabound.
Criticsofthepumpsincludingresidentswhohaveseencloudsofmurkybaywaterneartheoutfallshavearguedthatpumpingwaterwithout
chemicaltreatmentwillcauseproblemsformarinelifeinBiscayneBay.
Cityofficialssaythemurkissimplysedimentkickedupaspumpsgushwaterathighpressureintothebay.Theyalsoarguethedrainagesystemis
cleanerthantheoldone,nowatleastscreeningoutguttertrashlikebagsandplasticbottles.
PreliminarywatersamplinglatelastyearbyFloridaInternationalUniversityresearchersshowednutrientlevelsinsomepartsofthebayweresix
timeshigherthanbeforehightideskickedonthepumps,whichcouldtriggertoxicalgaeblooms.ScientistswillbeoutthereagainonTuesday,
duringthenextkingtide,totestpollutionlevels.
"Wewanttoknowifthewatersaregoodquality,"saidFIUhydrologistHenryBriceo,whoisworkingwiththecitytoexaminethetestresults."If
theresanyproblem,thecitywillhavetodosomething."

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Thenthereisthenightmareofseeminglyunendingconstruction.
TheBeachhaslonghadtrafficissues,especiallyonweekends.Butthestormwateroverhaulhasmadejamsaneverydayoccurrence,particularly
inSouthBeach.Tornupsidewalksandroaringconstructionequipmenthaveturnedstrollstothestoreintoloud,dusty,unpleasanttreks.
Buildingthe"streetofthefuture,"itturnsout,hasmadeforadifficultpresentformanybusinesses.
"Itwastedious,withtheconstruction,tokeepthenumbersup,"saidAntonioVilladelRey,manageratAzulSpiritsandWinesat141420th
Street.Thesidewalkoutsidehisfrontdoornowliestwofeetbelowtheroad.Hewasatfirstskeptical,worriedthefloodingwouldfillthelower
walkway.Butroadandsidewalkremaineddryduringthemostrecenthightide.
"Surprisingly,thesystemseemstobeholdingup,"hesaid.
JoeyFlechas:305-376-3602,@joeflech

JennyStaletovich:305-376-2109,@jenstaletovich

Thisisthefirstofatwo-partseriesonsealevelrise.Upnext:HowclimatechangeaffectsthemakeupofSouthFloridaswater.

RELATED CONTENT
Video: Miami Beach waging a battle against sea level rise
Miami Beach skips public bids to move fast on sea rise projects

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Miami Beachs battle to stem rising tides | Miami Herald

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COMMENTS
6 Comments

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Add a comment...

Jim W. Harper Copywriter at Nova Southeastern University

Good video. But still no mention of Miami's Peoples Climate March last week, the largest in the country? The community is more than the beach.
Like Reply 23 hrs

Virgil Sandberg Grand Valley State University

I saw nothing about it, guess they don't want to give out that type of information.
Like Reply 15 hrs

Chris Fellion El Camino High School (Oceanside)

Biscayne aquifer, MiamiDade
Countys main source of water supplies, is
located just a few feet below the surface, your city and county is sinking, the ocean is not rising. You are pumping millions of acre feet more out than is going
in and the place is sinking. That is one reason the agency is closing down three of the outfalls as they hope to recycle the waste water to your tap.
Like Reply

1 13 hrs

Louis Mitchell Sacramento City College

Great Article ... I'm surprised there are so few comments
Like Reply 16 hrs

Paul McGuinness E-Sales at Self Employed and Loving It!

Daunting costs that will not be paid. Dreams are good though. Disney has done well.
Like Reply 16 hrs

Chris Fellion El Camino High School (Oceanside)

Miami does not have an ocean rise problem and never has. what it does have is a subsidence problem caused by all those millions of people pumping out the
groundwater and the land sinking. Here is an example of New Orlean and Galveston http://www.nola.com/.../shifting_doorframes_cracking_d.html and Galveston
http://hgsubsidence.org/.../07/SubsidenceMap1906-2000.pdf
Nobody in Florida is ready to admit the real problem as that bring it back to responsibility and no polititian in Florida is willing to say they made a bad decision unlike
Texas which established a unit to help fix Galvestons pr... See More
Like Reply 13 hrs

Bud Wilstead
Blaming somone else may not be honest, but it is always far easier.

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Blaming somone else may not be honest, but it is always far easier.
Like Reply 8 hrs

Micco Mann University of Miami

Best investigative reporting this rag has done in a long, long time. The video and graphs were exceptional. Re the "turbidity" response, there is no way the pump
stations are filtering street contaniments like oil, gasoline, and coolants on the roads but didn't those things run off into the bay anyway? Let's hope it's just turbidity. Re
the Alton Road makeover-from-hell, now that it's finished, it sure isn't the "street of the future." It's not much higher than the old one and sidewalks were not raised. I
guess the solution there is the pumping stations. Hope they never break down when needed the most.
Like Reply 13 hrs

John Corina
The closer the Moon is to the Earth, the greater the gravitational pull and the higher the tides and greater variation between high and low tides. With the current lunar
orbit recession rate of 3.8cm per year, the tidal effects will gradually diminish over time. The recession is caused by the angular momentum and kinetic energy of the
tidal bulges and the difference in Earth's rotation and the Moon's orbit around the Earth. The height of the tidal bulges was greater in the past when the Moon was
closer to the Earth and will be lessor in the future as the Moon recedes farther away. (The recession rate is not constant over long periods of time but was faster in the
past and will be slower in the future.) Of course at this rate, it will take many years to see a noticable difference; however, a more distant lunar orbit does mean lower
tidal bulges and should eventually result in less flooding during full Moon at perigee.
Like Reply

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