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Florida Keys Prepare For Sea Level Rise
An Associated Press report details how the Florida Keys are starting to prepare for seasonal flooding and rising water levels overall. "A tidal gauge operating since before the Civil War has documented a sea level rise of 9 inches in the last century, and officials expect that to double over the next 50 years." Flooding used to be a much rarer occurrence, but now many businesses are finding it necessary to have plans in place to deal with it. "The Keys and three South Florida counties agreed in 2010 to collaborate on a regional plan to adapt to climate change. The first action plan developed under that agreement was published in October and calls for revamped planning policies, more public transportation options, stopping seawater from flowing into freshwater supplies and managing the region's unique ecosystems so that they can adapt, too." The Keys are one of many places beginning to seriously evaluate their options for dealing with flooding after witnessing the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy.
Like relocation to higher ground? Awesome vacation spot, not such a good idea to move in. Of course, I support people being able to live in inherently unsafe places, the only time I get grumpy is when people get disaster relief and spend it on rebuilding in those places. I'm not against the relief, I'm against it being so damned temporary.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
To put this into perspective:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_keys
The Florida keys are an environment that's neither stable nor safe from flooding, and when you live near the water, you have to live with the fact that you need to move sooner or later. Even without anthropogenic warming, there would have been substantial sea level rise over the last century, and these precautions would be necessary and prudent.
Shouldn't you be at your AA meeting?
Another day closer to redwood heaven
after reading your comment, then re-reading the subject line of "just asking questions", it finally made me realize you are a troll that is channelling the likes of glenn beck.
I used to internally ask myself the following two questions quite frequently: "Who am I? What exactly am I here for?"
The first question is easy, but the second is disconcerting when encountered on Slashdot.
Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
When are these folks going to blame their breathing on Obama and stop their socialist respiration which supports the agenda of the illuminati?
If you quote this signature there'll be 72 copies of Windows ME waiting for you in Heaven.
but .. but ...but...but... climate change is a lie....... the sky is falling, not the water levels rising.... (maybe that'll be a good rationale for the climate change deniers of this planet)
"The hands that help are better far than lips that pray." - Robert Ingersoll (1833-1899)
I lived in Key West for several years. It is a fun place, the entire keys are great. Mainland Florida can sink into the ocean for all I care, just leave the keys alone. They are pretty open to anyone, as long as you aren't an ignorant, uptight redneck. Decent rednecks are welcomed.
I love Key West! It's the only place in the entire US I feel entirely at home.
Well, I guess they've taken water over their heads then.
Bless the sea, and get baptized every time the flood comes.
Yah, it is odd that Jesus cares so much about Florida. Hey, maybe He's saving it for the Rapture. I know a few people I'd like to send off the planet first. You can book ahead, you know. And I'm fairly certain you can book people other than yourself for the trip.
For those that don't know the Florida keys are only a few inches above ocean levels even before the 1800 era. An 18 inch rise in sea levels would put the keys under water. these keys stretch for well over 100 miles and involve hundreds of islands. The area is also vital as a nursery for sea life. A slight rise in ocean levels is a clear cut disaster.
More sophisticated societies ask Where shall we have lunch?
the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
You are a shill. Your purpose is to serve as fuel for an exothermic chemical reaction. Please go die in such an exothermic reaction - it is your destiny.
For large sets, this will be our guide even unto death, for the LORD will work for each type of data it is applied to...
It's all about the storm surge
two thirds of Key West was underwater during Wilma.
That used to be a once in a generation thing. Then it's going to be every 20 years. Then every 5. Even if it doesn't turn into New Atlantis, that's gonna put a real crimp in the island lifestyle.
the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
They threw him out when he accused the doughnuts of spying on anyone with more than a 30-day token.
I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.
MSL has risen 7.7 inches in 135 years in the rest of the world, but somehow has risen another 1.3 inches in the Keys in less time. I suspect that they are experiencing ocean water rise in conjunction with the natural eroding away of the islands themselves. You certainly wouldn't want to build any permanent (in terms of centuries) buildings on those islands.
If you are not allowed to question your government then the government has answered your question.
Here's a good article from Rolling Stone specifically about Miami, but it certainly applies (more so) to the Keys:
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/why-the-city-of-miami-is-doomed-to-drown-20130620
BlameBillCosby.com
When did he go over to the dark side?
Guns don't kill people; Physics kills people! - John Lithgow as Dick Solomon on Third Rock From The Sun
Just clear them out - they're going to be flooded eventually, and paid for by the US taxpayer. The Keys have 1 foot in the grave and the other on the corpse of a poisoned manatee. They're an ecological and financial disaster waiting to happen.
I want to delete my account but Slashdot doesn't allow it.
like sectors on a hard drive...partition the waters...
I don't know about the keys, but the everglades' water levels are dropping because of a combination of less rainfall than in the past (climate change?) and agricultural and other diversions of the water that should be flowing into the everglades. It has nothing to do with sea levels.
You don't say which flats you're specifically talking about. The Lower Keys, and the bayside area north of the Middle and Upper Keys, are full of tidal flats, that are generally covered, or nearly so, at high tide. But 'covered' in the sense that you can cross them with anything bigger than a kayak, no. Or perhaps you're referring to Florida Bay, which itself receives a lot of input from The Everglades, and yes, would definitely be lower now.
The Everglades hasn't received its natural supply of fresh water ever since Alligator Alley was built and the 'river of grass' was more or less dammed up.
Crystal Springs isn't even on an ocean, it's fed by the Floridan Aquifer; The unceasing withdrawals from same are linked to those wonderful sinkholes, and of course lower springwater levels.
For what it's worth, my home, Big Pine Key, may as well be the Mississippi of the Florida Keys, there aren't any liberals around here. But you don't know what you're talking about.
Even though I do agree that our sea level is rising here in the Keys, this is a bit alarmist. Most of the Keys is 1 meter or less above sea level. My yard is about 4 feet, in fact. This means that we often disappear from the map for a few days in any appreciable storm surge. This isn't novel, and certainly isn't once-in-a-generation. In fact, it's already every 5-10 years, and we're overdue. I furthermore fail to see what hydrological difference will be made by an additional, say, 5 inches of water, vis-a-vis storm surge.
I do, however, agree that we're all sinking. That's why I rent here, and won't buy a house that doesn't float.
remind me of what? it melted didn;t it???
"The hands that help are better far than lips that pray." - Robert Ingersoll (1833-1899)