DADE COUNTY, Fla. — Since 2018, The United States Army Corps of Engineers has been working with Miami Dade county to try and find a solution to protect the area from storm surges. The first plan was presented in 2021 and did not get the mayor’s support.
But last August, The US Army Corps of Engineers got a second chance to create alternative solutions.
It’s a picture-perfect sight that makes Miami one of a kind, Biscayne Bay.
And Miami Dade county is looking to the future, trying to work with The US Army Corps of Engineers to develop a comprehensive solution to a complex problem.
They must figure out how to protect these shorelines, the property and its people without hurting the ecosystems, banks or residents.
“I think our hope is to get as much public input as possible and see how we can apply that to the study,” explains Faraz Ahmed, the project lead on the Back Bay study.
He shares that they came up with two proposals after a meeting in November.
The first one is called the Atlantic Coastline Alternative. It’s a structural plan that involves lining the shoreline with natural-based features like mangroves and artificial coral reefs around North Biscayne Bay.
And there would also be the addition of storm surge gates at major openings like Rickenbacker Causeway.
“So you will essentially have gates along the inlet and potentially connecting to some kind of structural feature going along the beach,” shares Ahmed.
The other proposal is non-structural. It’s similar to the one proposed back in 2021.
It looks to elevate homes, use nature-based features and flood-proof commercial buildings.
According to their creators, here are the significant differences between the two proposals.
The structural plan presents more significant risks but could bring added benefits like better infrastructure and utilities. And the structural plan directly impacts and reduces the problem.
“Things like putting in a levy or a seawall,” shares Abbe Preddy, the project manager. “Those are things that physically stop the storm surge, which is what we are focused on.”
The experts say the non-structural plan does not prevent or stop the storm surge. Instead, it just contains or reduces damage.
Preddy furthers, “That’s things like elevating a structure, so it’s still going to get that damage, it’s still going to get that flooding and surge inundation, it’s just going to have less damage because it’s flood proof or elevated.”
Neither proposal is set in stone.
Thursday was just one of many sessions where homeowners could weigh in. Most comments were against the gates’ location, structure and performance. However, others wanted to know more about nature-based features and what would be considered.
After hours of questions and answers, the team says they will keep hearing comments like these until August of this year, when they will have to have one or multiple plans ready for approval for the county.
A new study will begin if the plan gets approved to move forward in August. It will cost roughly 8.2 million dollars.
In 2027, a final report would be presented, and it would need to be approved by Congress and agreed upon by Miami-Dade county.
