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WFIT's Local News Update November 28, 2024 AM

New study calculates hidden threat from climate change: rising groundwater

 As climate change drives up the risk of flooding from sea level rise and more powerful hurricanes, one factor in the mix has remained mostly overlooked in forecasts – South Florida’s shallow groundwater.

Now for the first time, a federal study looks at how rising groundwater combines with other threats to put millions more people at risk.

 People have been waiting on this groundwater analysis for a while. 24 researchers started working on it in 2018.

While we mostly think of high tide flooding as the biggest risk from sea level rise, the new study by the U.S. Geological Survey found rising groundwater fueled by sea rise is just as bad, if not worse.

Along the east coast from North Carolina to Florida, about a trillion dollars in property and 70 percent of the population could see regular impacts with just over three feet of sea rise by the end of the century.

South Florida represents most of that risk because our groundwater sits just a few feet beneath the surface.

“We often get fixated on overland flooding. It's more dramatic. It happens during hurricanes, but that water table is gonna rise through time also, and it's gonna amplify those overland flooding impacts.”

 Patrick Barnard is a research geologist with the USGS and lead author on the study.

He says South Florida already sees the impacts from rising groundwater, from failing septic tanks to western neighborhoods that flood more frequently.

“So more rainfall equals a higher water table. Higher sea level equals a higher water table. And so we're trying to understand looking forward as sea level rises, how will that water table respond as well.

Understanding that means that South Florida will not just need to buffer its coast, but think about how it lives far from the beach as well.”

 Charitable organizations see unprecedented demand this holiday season

This year, the holiday season may look a little different for the thousands of Floridians still recovering from the recent storms.

 Ahead of Thanksgiving, charitable organizations across Florida are dealing with unprecedented demand.

At Metropolitan Ministries, spokesperson Justine Burke says the situation is very difficult.

"The number of donations that we would typically receive at this time of year, right before Thanksgiving, are down 23%, while at the same time, the need coming to us has increased."

Burke understands that people may be dealing with their own losses, but if you can donate food this holiday season, they can really use it.

"It really takes almost 1,000,000 pounds of food for us to serve all the families for Thanksgiving and Christmas."

Catania Product Development Partners with Marine Resources Council for Mangrove Workshop

 Catania Product Development recently joined the Marine Resources Council at its Annual Corporate Volunteer Day Event. In just two hours, the team weeded MRC’s entire Palm Bay mangrove nursery, up-potted 65 mangroves, and planted over 100 propagules.

 MRC is a Brevard-based nonprofit dedicated to conserving and restoring Florida’s coastal ecosystems.

The Mangrove Workshop focused on preserving and enhancing the region’s natural environment.

Catania Product Development incorporates sustainability and supporting the local community in its core company values.

MRC’s aquatic nursery has over 7,000 mangroves in production, cultivating from seedlings to mature 12-foot-tall trees. Mangroves benefit the environment by filtering the water, creating a healthy habitat for fish, and protecting the shoreline.

 More: www.floridaytoday.com

Terri Wright held the position of General Manager at WFIT from 1998-2023.