What Is Happening in Miami?

Abstract

Miami has been the center of recent discussions of sea level rise and its economic and environmental effects, but flooding events have always been part of Miami's urban history. Much of the metropolitan mainland area was built upon lands reclaimed from the freshwater Everglades while significant portions of the coastal area are situated on land that was raised, or reclaimed, from Biscayne Bay. This Chapter describes how periodic hurricanes and nuisance flooding are reminders of the risks associated with selecting a location to build.