Sea level rise in Miami: free hip waders for all, including disbelievers: fruitless spending on mitigation has started ... by gimleteye

Yesterday's big question was the county budget hearing and how $400 million would be slashed from the budget by county commissioners who are insulated behind the impermeable barriers of permanent incumbency. But the bigger issue in the grand scheme of things was rising through city sewers only a few blocks away where sea water from very high tides was pushing onto Miami city streets. Exactly a year ago, Eyeonmiami featured, "Sea level rise in Miami, here now". The post included dramatic photos of flooding in downtown Miami near some of the city's new and empty condo buildings. (click 'read more', for more fotos)

The City of Miami has been quiet on the subject. It doesn't mean that city engineers haven't responded. They have. Thanks to one of our readers, we have photos taken from the same location as last year's flood tide. The photos show a flood control work in process: elevated roads surrounding the condo. Someone (taxpayers, maybe?) has already spent lots of money to fight off property owners. I assume the project also includes raised sewer drains that were too low to drain the high tides seen in last year's photos. I wonder who is making decisions to elevate roadways that are getting flooded by these tides. Who gets flood control from the impacts of global warming in Miami and who doesn't?




The Herald's front page story today attributes the extra high tides to the new moon tide. The Herald doesn't take up the question of science of unusual sea level rise that may be related to global warming. Strange. It is in the news, too, but just not in the Herald. This summer, scientists observed sea level rises up to two feet higher than expected on the East Coast. NOAA, according to a report published by the Environmental News Network, released a report on causes, including a slowing Gulf Stream. Read about the impacts of climate change from a slowing Gulf Stream, here.

In an informal poll of scientists and observers, my contacts are also seeing much higher, high tides-- and not just on the moon cycle. (Like the housing market crash that Herald editors failed to identify before it happened, I'm guessing the editors who are left will be paddling to work in canoes before they pick up the question if these super high tides are connected to a slowing Gulf Stream caused by climate change. And where are those hurricanes, anyhow?) Will Miami be elevating roadways throughout downtown, foot by foot of sea level rise? How much more money will taxpayers be throwing at "beach replenishment" of sand washed away by tides?

"September 15, 2009 05:56 AM
Sea Levels Rose as Much as Two Feet This Summer in U.S. East

Sea levels rose as much as 2 feet (60 centimeters) higher than predicted this summer along the U.S. East Coast, surprising scientists who forecast such periodic fluctuations. The immediate cause of the unexpected rise has now been solved, U.S. officials say in a new report (hint: it wasn't global warming). But the underlying reason remains a mystery.

A new report from NOAA identified the two major factors behind the high sea levels-a weakened Gulf Stream and steady winds from the northeastern Atlantic. The Gulf Stream is a northward-flowing superhighway of ocean water off the U.S. East Coast. Running at full steam, the powerful current pulls water into its "orbit" and away from the East Coast.

But this summer, for reasons unknown, "the Gulf Stream slowed down," Edwing said, sending water toward the coasts-and sea levels shooting upward. Adding to the sustained surge, autumn winds from the northeastern Atlantic arrived a few months early, pushing even more water coastward. (Article continues: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/09/090910-sea-levels-rise.html) "

As to spending money on elevated roadways; wouldn't it be less expensive to buy taxpayers, hip waders? Then there is the matter of why Miami and Miami-Dade County are zoning more development in the way of the rising tides from climate change. But that's another story, for another day.

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