Against the Grain II
Miami, it’s time to admit the sinking problem
Folks, I’ve been researching this issue for over five years. The building collapse will not be the last, unfortunately.
Since reading an amazing article and following up with research based on the article, the fate of Miami Beach and Miami in general has infiltrated parts of my mind. I first read an article in the New Yorker during a plane ride in 2016. It detailed the rising waters of the world as a result of climate change. While it discussed different areas, its target was squarely on Miami, Fla.
Water levels globally are rising at rates exponentially faster than initially predicted. Since the City of Miami is hesitant to say it, I will. Miami is sinking into the Atlantic.
South Florida sits atop limestone plates. The porous plates allow salt water to rise freely from below to the surface, much like the holes in Swiss cheese. Miami Beach floods not only during benign downfalls, but unexpected and unexplained phenomena. The water table is so high at the waterfront barrier island of Miami Beach that its drainage system often causes street flooding because of the high water table and the waterlogged grounds’ inability to soak in any more water.
The Champlain Towers at Surfside condo collapse is being studied and evaluated intently. Several scenarios are emerging as to why the structure just suddenly pancaked, taking at least 94 lives as of last Monday. Structural issues seem to be the leading culprit of the building’s fatal collapse. But, I wonder if this is another effort to mask the growing degradation of land stability caused by saturated foundations in Miami.
It has been reported that the structure had been sinking between one and two centimeters per year since 1990. A recent study by Florida International University suggested that lately, the building was sinking 1.9 centimeters per year. In general, Florida structures have a tendency to sink at slow rates. In a 28-year span, the Champlain Towers building sank two full inches. No one ever said it was sinking evenly either. Imagine a two-inch tilt to the building.
A clue that may support the rising tides is a report from a former maintenance worker at the tower who told USA Today that saltwater had been infiltrating the foundation of the building since the 1990s. In his recollection, it only took high tides for them to notice water in the structure — not even rainfall.
Satellite imagery and inspections show that the building had degraded waterproofing protection. In the best of scenarios, waterproofing is a must on any property near the coast. Residents of the condo had long complained of water pooling in the garage.
Still, everyone is hesitant to point to what may be the actual culprit — the earth itself coupled with global warming. Keep in mind that former Florida Gov. Rick Scott forbade any state agency from even using the term in any official documentation during his tenure.
Predictions just a few years ago recognized the sinking problem in Miami and estimated that Miami Beach would be uninhabitable by 2050. Earlier this year, that timeline has moved up to 2045, with 2035 being benchmarked as a point of major disruption to commuting.
The result is the Little Haiti and Liberty City areas of Miami being bought up by investors. They are the highest elevations in Miami. The mostly low-income areas are prime targets for gentrification as seaside options are ceasing to be good investments. Miami ranks second among all cities of the world in global sea rise vulnerability.
Engineers have also rerouted parking garages on coastal condos and apartments. In some areas, construction of a sea wall is underway.
I am not an engineer, global warming expert or building construction expert. But, I am waiting for someone to step up to the plate and admit that although the Champlain Towers at Surfside had structural issues, the collapse can also be attributed to rising water coming up through the ground and destabilizing the structure, or will we just wait for the next building to collapse and take the lives of its residents, forever devastating those who love them.
