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flood-control structures, reducing their capacity by as
much as 20% to 40% by 2030. By about 2040, 6
to 9 inches of sea-level rise may reduce their capacity by 65% to 70%. Most of these early impacts will
be felt in low-lying coastal areas, such as southern
Miami-Dade and the St. Johns River watershed
(Heimlich et al., 2009; Obeysekera, 2009).
With sea-level rise, storm surge could penetrate farther inland and flood with seawater those areas near
primary canals and rivers. This could cause more serious flood damage during hurricanes and possibly
temporarily contaminate aquifers with seawater
(Heimlich et al., 2009).
WHAT IS POSSIBLE:
What is currently considered a 100-year flood event
will likely become a 50- or 20-year event as sea
level continues to rise.
Primary drainage canals may not be able to function
without the aid of pumps to offset the effects of sealevel rise (Obeysekera, 2009).
Innovative approaches to augment flood-control systems will be needed as sea-level rise compromises
existing systems (Heimlich et al., 2009).
Considering sea-level rise and the likelihood of more
intense hurricanes and rainstorms, engineering solutions such as dunes, dikes, seawalls, sea gates,
locks, pumping stations, etc. will need to be evaluated (Heimlich et al., 2009).
II. Sea-Level Rise and Its Effects
on Florida’s Ocean
and Coastal Resources
EFFECT : Increased Flooding Risks
Sea-level rise will increase the risk of tidal flooding in coastal areas (Murley et al., 2008). Hurricane storm
surge and wave heights during hurricanes will be higher with sea-level rise (R. Alvarez, personal communication). In low-lying interior areas, stormwater drainage systems will be compromised as sea-level rises, increasing the risk of flooding during heavy rains (Heimlich et al., 2009).
WHAT WE KNOW:
As sea level rises, low-lying coastal areas will
be increasingly prone to coastal flooding, especially during spring and fall high tides and during sea swells due to seaward storms, strong
onshore winds, and other causes (Murley et al.,
2008).
Storm surge and wave heights during hurricanes
will increase as coastal water depths increase
with sea-level rise, amplifying the damage potential of hurricanes (R. Alvarez, personal communication).
Because Florida’s stormwater drainage systems
rely mainly on gravity, sea-level rise will reduce
their effectiveness (South Florida Water Management District, 2009).
Because climate change is expected to cause
more intense rainstorms and hurricanes, sea-level
rise will exacerbate the risk of inland flooding
during intense rainfall, especially in low-lying interior flood plains such as exist in southeastern
Florida (Heimlich et al., 2009).
II
19
Effects of sea-level rise identified in this document are expected to result in major changes
to Florida’s marine resources as well as to its
developed coastal areas. To sustain the quality of life of residents, the diversity and productivity of marine ecosystems, and the
economy of the state in the face of these
changes, residents, elected officials, resource
managers, and university scientists must work
together to find timely, responsible, and effective solutions. These may often involve difficult
decisions that consider trade-offs among the various sectors that depend on coastal resources,
and as such, they will be politically as well as
technologically challenging. Thus it is imperative that decisions be based on sound science.
The Florida Oceans and Coastal Council will
continue to address the critical information
needs related to sea-level rise for coastal and
marine systems during its future deliberations.
The following recommendations from the Council’s first Annual Science Research Plan, for
2006–2007, directly support Florida’s information needs concerning sea-level rise:
• Identify and prioritize specific coastline areas
around the state for bathymetric mapping,
with the goal of mapping the state’s entire
coastline, to allow better monitoring and
prediction of changes in the configuration of
the state’s coastline resulting from sea-level rise
and storms.
• Evaluate the long-term stability of coastal
wetlands (marshes, mangroves, seagrasses)
in relation to sea-level rise and episodic disturbances such as hurricanes.
• Determine the locations and sizes, dominant
physico-chemical features, living resources,
and unique ecological functions of all brackish and tidal-fresh waters in Florida.
• Determine the social, economic, and environmental consequences of increasing rates
of beach erosion, coastal armoring, and
beach renourishment.
• Determine the effect of continued beach renourishment projects on turtle, seabird, and
adjacent coral and fish populations and on
other organisms that depend on beach
ecosystems for food, shelter, and reproduction.
• Determine the role of the shoreline in reducing wave and flood damage, including ways
to implement shoreline protection measures
that do not damage the coastal and offshore natural environment. Develop a scientific basis for determining erosion and
coastal setback zones.
Sea-Level Rise Priorities
for Florida’s Ocean
and Coastal Research
SECTION
III.
III
20
• Establish continuous, long-term monitoring in
estuaries and coastal waters to support the
development of modeling tools, to assess
the impact of sea-level rise, and to assist in
resource management (for instance, commercial and sport fisheries).