Rising seas are already impacting drinking water supplies in Miami-Dade County.
"It’s a gentle intruder, moving stealthily underground, out of sight but not undetected. Salt water continues to move farther inland in Florida’s Miami-Dade County, albeit at a slower rate," writes Brett Walton.
That conclusion evidenced by data collected by newly released maps from the U.S. Geological Survey.
The encroachment of salt water on underground aquifers is especially troubling because of Miami-Dade County's reliance on underground water. "All of Miami-Dade County’s municipal water, which serves several million residents and visitors, comes from groundwater, primarily from a thin lens of fresh water called the Biscayne Aquifer," according to Walton.
The USGS has mapped the boundary between salt and fresh water at the base of the Biscayne Aquifer. "The leading edge of the saltwater layer in the southeastern part of the county, the area of greatest intrusion, moved inland at a pace of 102 meters per year between 2014 and 2018," according to Walton.
FULL STORY: Tracking the Atlantic Ocean’s Inland Creep in Miami-Dade County
'Climate Gentrification' Is Exacerbating Economic Inequality in Miami
A new study shows that over the last several decades the price of real estate has been heavily influenced by the actual and anticipated effects of climate change.
Low-Income Communities Left Behind in the Sea-Level Rise Discussion
The recent Florid King Tide provided more evidence that some communities in Miami-Dade County have been prioritized bin the ongoing response to sea-level rise.
Miami Loses Population for the First Time Since 1970
Already one of the nation’s hottest real estate markets before the Covid-19 pandemic, the region became unaffordable for many middle-income households in the last few years.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?
How Trump's HUD Budget Proposal Would Harm Homelessness Response
Experts say the change to the HUD budget would make it more difficult to identify people who are homeless and connect them with services, and to prevent homelessness.
The Vast Potential of the Right-of-Way
One writer argues that the space between two building faces is the most important element of the built environment.
Florida Seniors Face Rising Homelessness Risk
High housing costs are pushing more seniors, many of them on a fixed income, into homelessness.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont