Chapter 2: Our Adaptation Vision
Our geology, our communities and our history of living with water call for unique approaches to adapt to sea level rise.
To successfully adapt to rising water levels, we must consider a combination of approaches that make us safer, reduce environmental pollution, ensure equity, build with nature, remain flexible and align with other initiatives.
Five adaptation approaches guide our vision
Miami-Dade County’s unique geology, communities and history of living with water require a unique set of approaches to adapt. No single infrastructure project will be sufficient to address sea level rise, so we will need to tailor our approaches to community preferences and specific neighborhood areas.
Adaptation Approaches
In order to implement the five adaptation approaches, we will use a combination of tools in our toolbox.
Build on Fill
Raise the land on artificial fill
In this approach, infrastructure such as homes, roads, and seawalls, including the Venetian Islands shown here, could be raised on compacted soil mined from other areas (known as “fill”) to increase the elevation of the land. Since sea level rise will continue, areas would need to be repeatedly raised to stay above changing water levels.
Build Like the Keys
Elevate structures on pilings and live with more water.
Buildings elevated on stilts, as the Perez Art Museum Miami demonstrates here, allow storm surge to pass beneath the building without damaging it. This approach permits occasional flooding on roads and yards while also lowering the total cost to adapt to sea level rise as it relies on more passive natural infrastructure.
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Build on High Ground around Transit
Promote new development in the least flood-prone areas along transit corridors
New development can focus on areas that are on “the ridge” (naturally higher ground) and near to existing and planned transportation corridors in line with the County’s Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit (SMART) Plan. New affordable and mixed-income housing or businesses could replace under-utilized lands, like parking lots or vacant lots around transit.
Expand Greenways and Blueways
Develop waterfront parks and make room for water in our most flood-prone areas
Trails, walkways, or boardwalks, like Snake Creek trail shown here, serve as linear parks and can connect multiple parks or places along the waterfront and in low-lying areas. This approach helps increase access to the water, create space for more trees and living shorelines, store and filter water and add transportation options and recreational areas.
Create Blue and Green Neighborhoods
Build a network of small spaces for water in our yards, streets, and parks
Find room in our communities for water, in our yards, streets and parks, to create rain gardens, with trees, gravel, shells and pavers that create a porous pavement. This approach to managing water helps our neighborhoods to better capture, slow down and reduce runoff by decreasing flooding in nearby areas and also helps limit water pollution, keeps our neighborhoods cooler and can benefit our overall health.
Examples
The following guided tour describes the five approaches that are being used to adapt to higher water levels: building on fill, building like the Keys, building on high ground around transit, expanding greenways and blueways and creating green and blue neighborhoods. While all methods have been used successfully in the past, they will need to be scaled up and adjusted moving forward.
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1
Build on Fill
This approach focuses on continuing to build on fill.
2
Build Like the Keys
This approach focuses on elevating homes and businesses on stilts.
3
Build on High Ground around Transit
This approach focuses on directing new growth to "the ridge" (naturally higher ground)
4
Expand Greenways and Blueways
This approach focuses on expanding and creating new corridors that would provide a buffer against floods.
5
Create Blue and Green Neighborhoods
This approach focuses on finding space for water in our yards, streets and local parks.
Continue learning about Miami-Dade County's Sea Level Rise Strategy and explore Our Next Steps .
To go back to the previous chapter of Miami-Dade County's Sea Level Rise Strategy return to Our History of Living with Water .
