City hears final vulnerability assessment recommending focus areas and grant-aligned resilience strategies

Consultants with Kimley‑Horn delivered the final citywide vulnerability assessment to the South Miami commission on Jan. 20, describing the flood‑exposure analysis and recommendations to guide future resilience projects. "The purpose of today's presentation is mostly to give you an idea of the efforts and the results of the citywide vulnerability assessment," said Alejandro Terral of Kimley‑Horn, who said the study was funded through the Resilient Florida Grant Program and completed 12 of 13 project tasks tied to grant requirements.

Terral told commissioners the team modeled 16 distinct flood scenarios—rainfall, storm surge, sea‑level‑rise scenarios and compound events—and evaluated roughly 30 city critical assets for sensitivity and criticality. The presentation overlaid high‑resolution LiDAR‑based topography and floodplain maps to identify six priority focus areas, many located along the Broad Canal, Twin Lakes Canal and Ludlow/McLade canal basins.

The report recommends a three‑track adaptation strategy: short‑term measures such as deployable flood barriers, dry floodproofing and backflow preventers; medium‑term gray and green infrastructure investments and maintenance programs; and longer‑term options such as asset elevation or retreat when necessary. Terral emphasized that an approved vulnerability assessment is often a prerequisite for state resilience funding. "An approved vulnerability assessment is the first step in future grant funding of projects," he said.

Commissioners pressed staff and the consultant on how the analysis aligns with other ongoing work including the city’s septic‑to‑sewer conversion master plan and the stormwater master plan. Terral said the team will provide the floodplain data electronically so public‑works staff can overlay it with the city’s capital improvement plan. On sea‑level rise Terral said the city’s inland location and canal control structures provide some protection but acknowledged the system and its locks can themselves be vulnerable and that groundwater levels could affect recurring localized flooding.

Vice Mayor Corey praised the presentation and asked how green infrastructure could be implemented in parks; the consultant pointed to parks such as Dunroy Park as natural storage opportunities for bioswales or retention. Commissioners asked for the data and maps in electronic form to evaluate project prioritization and possible grant applications.

Next steps identified by staff: staff will obtain the consultant’s electronic floodplain deliverables, continue the ongoing stormwater master‑plan work and use the vulnerability assessment to shape grant applications and capital‑project prioritization. The commission also requested follow‑up discussions to map the assessment’s focus areas against existing projects and sewer conversion activities.