I might have given Miami Beach City Manager Jimmy Morales a hard time for hedging whether the big pumps on Alton Road and low lying areas would work during this King Tide.
They did!
It was kind of like holding one's breath when the underwater, billion dollar tunnel to the Port of Miami was opened.
Things tend not to work in Miami from a political, economic and societal point of view -- at least so far as protecting the public interest is concerned -- so when engineering is put to the challenge, who are we to put our skepticism aside?
We did note, however, that one breach in sea level rise armament and only one could overwhelm the investment of hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars. On that perspective, we are unmove-able.
They did!
It was kind of like holding one's breath when the underwater, billion dollar tunnel to the Port of Miami was opened.
Things tend not to work in Miami from a political, economic and societal point of view -- at least so far as protecting the public interest is concerned -- so when engineering is put to the challenge, who are we to put our skepticism aside?
We did note, however, that one breach in sea level rise armament and only one could overwhelm the investment of hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars. On that perspective, we are unmove-able.
5 comments:
Great! Sea Level Rise is cured. Let's move on to the next fake epidemic.
Any video of these pumps working this week? Are these pumps automatic? Do they have diesel generators as backup?
If the outlet vales were blocking saltwater from entering the system Is the city pumping water from the porous limestone bedrock?
Scientist collected water samples off Miami Beach. In a month Miami Beach will become ground zero for polluted water. I have a feeling the city is going to have a massive problem with what the water sample results.
Eventually the water will come over the walls. Storm surge from a major storm will devastate the area ala Superstorm Sandy. Get real. We need to stop putting more development into harms way. And really do something different. Start acting now like there's three foot sea level rise and plan accordingly.
While we are all happy that the Beach was not flooded with the King Tide and that the pumps appear to have worked, it is important to note that this week's tide is nothing compared to high tides we've experience in the past. Just saying that we shouldn't declare victory just yet...
This small investment by the Beach should be celebrated as a model of what should begin across the county. There are engineering solutions that need to be tested and implemented to protect this community from the routine tropical downpours and "normal" hurricanes.
The Beach has taken the lead in demonstrating there are public investments to be made. Where is the leadership in other coastal cities and county governments? Who has put a penny toward hiring consultants to provide engineering solutions? Where is the Water Management District in this discussion?
Thank the Beach for showing that solutions to the current and expected consequences of sea level rise can be engineered. Rather than ignoring the problem, or suggesting it is of no use, government should be taking action. Miami Beach is showing us the way.
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