It is no secret that rising sea levels and stormwater flooding threaten South Florida's coastal communities. South Florida sits atop limestone and muck (mud), which is porous and allows water to rise from underneath. This creates a unique dilemma: sea level rise will cause water to penetrate the ground from underneath as well as spill over land barriers. Miami-Dade County and the surrounding areas have begun planning to address these risks. Over time, the county and many cities have established climate resiliency offices to address flooding and stormwater concerns, mapping out zones that they deemed high risk and developing solutions. Some measures have been taken to combat these concerns, such as installing stormwater pumps, raising roads and improving drainage. However, these measures alone will not provide enough relief.

As for future development, the federal, state, and local governments should work with developers and provide incentives, through its building and zoning codes, to incorporate infrastructure for stormwater flooding and sea level rise in the initial project design. Over the past few years, we have seen tremendous growth in Florida. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Florida is the fastest growing state in the nation. For residents of South Florida, it seems developers are constantly breaking ground on new projects.