Edgewater hears Resilient Florida vulnerability assessment showing growing flood risk and adaptation options

A regional planning council on Monday presented the results of a Resilient Florida-funded vulnerability assessment that projects rising sea levels and larger storm surges will increase flood exposure for Edgewater’s critical assets and neighborhoods.

The council’s presenter said the assessment models multiple horizons (present, 2040, 2070 and 2100) and compares lower- and upper-bound sea-level projections from NOAA together with storm-surge scenarios. The analysis examines 120 critical assets the city depends on—87 city-owned and 33 not—and assigns sensitivity scores to quarter‑mile grid cells to help prioritize areas for mitigation. The presenter said some scenarios show Category‑3 storm surge producing water depths as high as 12 feet in parts of the city and that higher sea‑level bounds could move inundation farther inland by 2040.

Why it matters: the assessment is the first step required under the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Resilient Florida grant program to qualify for adaptation funding and to set priorities for protecting potable water, wastewater infrastructure, emergency facilities, and other assets.

The presentation outlined four adaptation approaches: protection (seawalls, dry floodproofing, pumps), accommodation (elevating critical assets, green stormwater infrastructure, wet‑floodproofing), retreat (relocating threatened structures), and avoidance (steering new development away from high‑risk areas). The presenter gave examples from other Florida communities, including a flood wall around a hospital in Tampa, lift‑station elevation in St. Augustine and a stormwater park in Cape Canaveral.

The presenter ran live audience polling to gauge preferences. Attendees favored green infrastructure and Florida‑friendly landscaping, and ranked critical‑asset elevation highly among accommodation options. The presenter told the council that the polling helps staff understand local sentiment and preferred outreach channels—Edgewater’s website and newsletter rated highest.

Public commenters connected the presentation to county policy. Patrick Fisher asked the council to send a letter supporting Volusia County proposals that would limit development on wetlands, require on‑site wetland preservation instead of mitigation‑bank payments, increase canal maintenance, and pursue purchases of frequently flooded properties. Another resident, Eric Rainbird, urged officials to prioritize the animal shelter and wastewater treatment plant after viewing the maps.

Data details: the presenter said the assessment uses NOAA projection curves (the assessment used the NOAA 2017 curves per the state statute for reports begun under that schedule; later reports may use 2021 curves). The presenter described the assessment’s exposure and sensitivity methods and noted the assessment will be used to target adaptation investments.

What’s next: staff and the presenter said the vulnerability assessment positions Edgewater to pursue Resilient Florida funding and to refine adaptation priorities. The presenter left printed resources and contact information and encouraged residents to examine the maps on display at the back of the room.