BETA
Chapter 1
The invisible sponge beneath the city
Chapter 2
When the moon pulls too hard
Chapter 3
Fighting the rising tides
YOUR GOAL
Master of Why Miami floods on sunny days
Ch 1 · The invisible sponge beneath the city
steve Miami Limestone Bedrock
Sponge under the street, ocean climbs the stone, flooding sunny days.
steve The limestone under Miami was created by ancient marine organisms during a warm period 125,000 years ago.
steve Standard concrete seawalls cannot block sunny day floods because the water rises directly out of the ground.
Fun Fact
Porous limestone: Water can flow through Florida's bedrock so quickly that scientists have tracked underground water moving up to several hundred feet in a single day.
Glossary
limestone (noun)
A sedimentary rock composed mainly of calcium carbonate. This porous bedrock under Miami allows rising ocean water to seep upward, flooding streets during king tides.
A sedimentary rock composed mainly of calcium carbonate. This porous bedrock under Miami allows rising ocean water to seep upward, flooding streets during king tides.
Quiz
What is the name of the freshwater aquifer that supplies drinking water to Miami-Dade County?
Quiz
Approximately how many years ago did the limestone under Miami form from ancient marine life?
Quiz
Which geological feature describes South Florida's incredibly flat, low-lying landscape?