Bye, Bye Beaches

Florida Beach Erosion Control Program

Miami-Dade County Department of Environmental Resource Management

Surfrider Foundation

If you've been to the beach lately, you may have noticed the eroding coastlines, especially in the Mid-Beach and North Beach areas. Since Miami Beach is a man-made island, we started wondering - what would happen if you took the "beach" out of Miami Beach?

Not to worry, the problem hasn't gone unnoticed with the powers that be. In fact there are a number of local, state and federal programs taking action against this natural occurrence.

Heavy rains, tropical storms and hurricanes are the leading culprits that take a bite out of Miami's beaches, sweeping sand from the shore out into the ocean.

One way the beaches are replenished is by hauling in sand quarried from Central Florida. In the past, sand has been dredged offshore and then piped onto the beach. Currently, a number of restoration projects are working towards maintaining the pristine beaches, such as The Florida Beach Erosion Control Program, The Miami-Dade County Department of Environmental Resource Management and the Environmental Coalition of Miami Beach.

How can you get involved? Aside from grabbing a shovel and tackling the problem yourself (not recommended) we do recommend contacting the Environmental Coalition of Miami Beach (www.ecomb.org) and asking about volunteer opportunities in our area. They can help you get involved with local clean-up efforts and community awareness events.