Wealthy US town faces harsh reality that way of life could be in jeopardy: 'It's already happening'

Key Biscayne, Florida, is grappling with the impacts of rising sea levels. Scientific experts and local officials might have a solution, but it comes at a steep price, per the Miami Herald.

What's happening?

Key Biscayne ranks fourth among the wealthiest South Florida zip codes and second in median home values. Some of the community's wealth might need to be directed to alleviate the growing problem of flooding. On average, Key Biscayne's lowest-lying streets flood around 15 times per year. Consultants in architecture, engineering, construction, operations, and management project that by 2070, some streets could be permanently underwater.

One solution to rising water is raising the roads. Key Biscayne is part of a growing list of South Florida cities that are either using or considering implementing an advanced infrastructure plan to prevent flooding and ensure resident safety. The cost of raising roads in Key Biscayne could exceed $300 million.

"It's already happening," Key Biscayne's chief resilience officer Roland Samimy told the Miami Herald. "There is going to be a need to raise roadways. It's a reality of living on a low-lying barrier island."

Why is flooding in Florida important?

Flooding costs the U.S. more than $32 billion annually. Key Biscayne is in Miami-Dade County, the second-most flood-prone county in the country, according to analysis by Climate Central. 

The average annual flood loss in Florida was $4.3 billion five years ago and could climb by 74% by 2050. 

"Climate change affects three key flood drivers: more intense rainfall, drier soils, and less snow," according to Climate Central's study. "Communities along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, as well as inland in Appalachia and northern New England carry an outsized burden of current and future flooding."

Just last summer, parts of Florida experienced once-in-a-millennium record rainfall and flash flooding. Sunshine State homeowners face a housing crisis as insurance companies drop policies after numerous extreme weather events.

What's being done about coastal flooding?

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says the global mean sea level has risen about 8-9 inches since 1880, and almost 30% of the U.S. population lives in a vulnerable coastal area. Melting glaciers and ice sheets, combined with the thermal expansion of seawater as it warms, are the primary drivers behind rising water levels.

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