Who Keeps the Intracoastal at Depth: FIND and the Army Corps Maintain the Federal Channels Sovereign Submerged Lands: The State Authorization Behind Your Dock February 2027 Marine Outlook: Supermoon Tides, Cold Fronts, and the Boat Show Window The Unified Sea Level Rise Projection: The Shared Numbers Behind Seawall Planning in Southeast Florida Florida's Boating Safety Education Card: Who Needs It and What to Carry Broward's 2024 Flood Maps: What the New Zones Mean for Waterfront Owners Lake Worth Lagoon Projects Move Ahead: What Boaters Should Know Why Concrete Seawalls Crack, Spall, and Lean: The Early Signs That Matter When to Plan Maintenance Dredging: Reading Depth Trends Before Access Fades Flood Insurance in 2027: What Risk Rating 2.0 and New Florida Rules Mean for Waterfront Owners Florida's Coastal Construction Control Line: When Docks, Seawalls, and Dredging Need a DEP Permit Palm Beach International Boat Show 2027: Dates, Location, and What Owners Should Know Your Waterfront File: Keep a Measured Depth Record for Your Slip and Canal Bigger Boats and Busier Waterways: How Traffic Changes the Way Seawalls and Docks Wear New NOAA Tide Datums: What the Epoch Update Means for Dock Depth and Clearance Florida's Dredge Permit Authority: Where the Section 404 Program Stands Now Know Your Winter Water Depth: Protecting Boat Access and Property Value Mid-January 2027 Marine Outlook: King Tides, Cold Fronts, and MLK Weekend January 2027 Marine Outlook: Cold Fronts, Manatee Zones, and the Work Window The Florida Building Code 9th Edition Takes Effect December 31: What Waterfront Owners Should Know Survey-First Dredging: How Measured Depth Data Is Changing Waterfront Projects After the King Tides: A Seawall and Dock Inspection Checklist for South Florida Owners Florida's Coastal Resiliency Law: Living Seawalls and Shoreline Rules, Explained Late-December King Tides 2026: The December 22 to 27 High-Water Window for Docks and Seawalls Shallow Slips and Settling Sediment: How Water Depth Changes Over Time Florida Mangrove Rules: What Waterfront Owners Can and Cannot Trim Mid-December 2026 Marine Outlook: Cold-Front Wind and Boating Conditions The 2026 Nationwide Permits: What They Mean for Docks, Seawalls, and Maintenance Dredging Dock Maintenance by Material: Wood, Concrete, and Aluminum Holiday Boat Parades in December 2026: Routes and Viewing in Broward and Palm Beach December 2026 Marine Outlook: Holiday Boating, Cold Fronts, and King Tides What the Florida Building Code Requires for Seawalls, Docks, and Boat Lifts The Dredging and Waterfront-Services Business Heading Into 2027: What Owners Can Expect Late-November Marine Outlook: Cold Fronts, Tides, and Thanksgiving Week on the Water When Do Seawall and Dock Repairs Need a Permit? A Practical Guide Winter Waterfront Maintenance: Docks, Lifts, and Seawalls Through Cold-Front Season Seawall Condition and Water Depth: How the Two Work Together to Support Property Value Sea Level Rise Projections for Southeast Florida: A 2027 Update for Broward and Palm Beach Owners What Happens Between Your First Call and a Finished Dredging Project What a Seawall and Dock Inspection Covers in a Waterfront Home Sale City-Level Seawall and Dock Rules: Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, and Pompano Beach Mid-November Marine Outlook: Cold Fronts, Wind, and Boating Conditions Planning Dredging Around the Boating Season: Why Winter Is the Window November 2026 Marine Outlook: Tides, Weather, and Boating in South Florida Seawall Service Life: When Concrete and Steel Walls Need Replacement Winter Manatee Zones Start November 15 in Broward and Palm Beach Sea Level Rise Projections for South Florida: What the Numbers Mean for Waterfront Owners Palm Beach County Seawall and Dock Rules: What Waterfront Owners Should Know Buying a Waterfront Home: The Dock, Seawall, and Depth Checklist Florida Dock Permits: How Most Residential Docks Are Covered Late-October King Tides 2026: What Docks and Seawalls Will Face Fall Waterfront Maintenance: A Check-It-Now List for Docks, Seawalls, and Lifts Boat Draft and Water Depth: Keeping Your Slip Usable at Mean Low Tide Fort Lauderdale's New Slow-Speed Zone: What Intracoastal Boaters Should Know Sea Level Rise Projections for Broward and Palm Beach: What the Numbers Mean for Owners October 2026 Marine Outlook: Weather, Tides, and Red Tide for South Florida Boaters Where Dredged Material Goes: The Disposal Rules Behind Every Waterfront Project What's Changing in the Dredging Business: Trends for Waterfront Owners Dredging Permits in Florida: What Waterfront Owners Need to Know Seawall Maintenance: Signs to Check and Why Early Action Pays King Tide Season 2026: What South Florida Boat Owners Should Watch Questions to Ask a Dredging Company Before You Hire One Broward's New Seawall Standards: What Boat and Dock Owners Should Know Does Deeper Water Add Value to Your Waterfront Property? The Waterfront Owner's Guide: The Free Resource That Helps You Decide More Than Dredging: The Network Behind a Finished Waterfront Job Marine weather and small craft advisories are issued by the National Weather Service NOAA publishes tide tables for Broward and Palm Beach county waters Permits are required for dredging in Florida tidal waters Check slip depth at mean low tide before the boating season Broward's seawall elevation standards apply to new walls and major repairs The Waterfront Owner's Guide is a free resource for boat and dock owners
SFD South Florida Dredging Waterfront Owner Resource
Elevated king-tide water lapping a residential seawall in South Florida, with a palm-lined canal and overcast winter light
Sea Level Rise

Sea Level Rise Projections for Southeast Florida: A 2027 Update for Broward and Palm Beach Owners

Published 2026-11-18 · 6 min read

Current sea level rise projections for Broward and Palm Beach counties, the sources behind them, and what the numbers mean for docks, seawalls, and water depth.

Where the projections come from

The two references used for planning in South Florida are the 2022 NOAA Sea Level Rise Technical Report and the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact's Regionally Unified Sea Level Rise Projection, which was reaffirmed in December 2024 after review against the NOAA report.

The Compact's unified projection is the regional planning standard used by both Broward and Palm Beach counties.

Southeast Florida Climate Compact: unified sea level rise projection

The numbers for Southeast Florida

The Compact projects 10 to 17 inches of rise above 2000 sea levels by 2040, and 21 to 54 inches by 2070.

NOAA's 2022 report found the U.S. coastline is expected to see as much rise over the next 30 years as it saw over the prior 100 years, about 10 to 12 inches on average. These are the planning figures, not a forecast of a single exact year.

Related: sea level rise projections for Broward and Palm Beach

What the numbers mean at the dock

A higher baseline water level means king tides and minor tidal flooding reach higher and happen more often.

It also changes effective water depth and the freeboard a seawall needs to keep the yard dry, which is why seawall elevation standards in the region have been moving upward.

How Broward and Palm Beach are planning

Both counties use the Compact's unified projection in their planning. Broward County has raised seawall elevation standards, and cities such as Fort Lauderdale have adopted higher top-of-wall elevations for new and replaced walls.

The effect for owners is practical: a wall built or repaired under current rules is being designed for the water levels of the coming decades, not just today's.

Related: Broward's new seawall standards

What owners can do now

Know your seawall's top elevation and how it compares with your city's current standard, document your water depth, and plan for higher water during king-tide season.

Keeping records of depth, wall condition, and any repairs makes future planning and resale simpler.

Getting your waterway assessed

A qualified crew can measure your water depth and look at your seawall and dock in a free site consultation.

To request free resources about dredging, call (561) 299-1323 or email slselleck@gmail.com. Tell us about your dock, slip, or waterway and we will help you understand what it needs.

This content was created with AI assistance and reviewed for fair housing compliance.

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Who Keeps the Intracoastal at Depth: FIND and the Army Corps Maintain the Federal Channels Sovereign Submerged Lands: The State Authorization Behind Your Dock February 2027 Marine Outlook: Supermoon Tides, Cold Fronts, and the Boat Show Window The Unified Sea Level Rise Projection: The Shared Numbers Behind Seawall Planning in Southeast Florida Florida's Boating Safety Education Card: Who Needs It and What to Carry Broward's 2024 Flood Maps: What the New Zones Mean for Waterfront Owners Lake Worth Lagoon Projects Move Ahead: What Boaters Should Know Why Concrete Seawalls Crack, Spall, and Lean: The Early Signs That Matter When to Plan Maintenance Dredging: Reading Depth Trends Before Access Fades Flood Insurance in 2027: What Risk Rating 2.0 and New Florida Rules Mean for Waterfront Owners Florida's Coastal Construction Control Line: When Docks, Seawalls, and Dredging Need a DEP Permit Palm Beach International Boat Show 2027: Dates, Location, and What Owners Should Know Your Waterfront File: Keep a Measured Depth Record for Your Slip and Canal Bigger Boats and Busier Waterways: How Traffic Changes the Way Seawalls and Docks Wear New NOAA Tide Datums: What the Epoch Update Means for Dock Depth and Clearance Florida's Dredge Permit Authority: Where the Section 404 Program Stands Now Know Your Winter Water Depth: Protecting Boat Access and Property Value Mid-January 2027 Marine Outlook: King Tides, Cold Fronts, and MLK Weekend January 2027 Marine Outlook: Cold Fronts, Manatee Zones, and the Work Window The Florida Building Code 9th Edition Takes Effect December 31: What Waterfront Owners Should Know Survey-First Dredging: How Measured Depth Data Is Changing Waterfront Projects After the King Tides: A Seawall and Dock Inspection Checklist for South Florida Owners Florida's Coastal Resiliency Law: Living Seawalls and Shoreline Rules, Explained Late-December King Tides 2026: The December 22 to 27 High-Water Window for Docks and Seawalls Shallow Slips and Settling Sediment: How Water Depth Changes Over Time Florida Mangrove Rules: What Waterfront Owners Can and Cannot Trim Mid-December 2026 Marine Outlook: Cold-Front Wind and Boating Conditions The 2026 Nationwide Permits: What They Mean for Docks, Seawalls, and Maintenance Dredging Dock Maintenance by Material: Wood, Concrete, and Aluminum Holiday Boat Parades in December 2026: Routes and Viewing in Broward and Palm Beach December 2026 Marine Outlook: Holiday Boating, Cold Fronts, and King Tides What the Florida Building Code Requires for Seawalls, Docks, and Boat Lifts The Dredging and Waterfront-Services Business Heading Into 2027: What Owners Can Expect Late-November Marine Outlook: Cold Fronts, Tides, and Thanksgiving Week on the Water When Do Seawall and Dock Repairs Need a Permit? A Practical Guide Winter Waterfront Maintenance: Docks, Lifts, and Seawalls Through Cold-Front Season Seawall Condition and Water Depth: How the Two Work Together to Support Property Value What Happens Between Your First Call and a Finished Dredging Project What a Seawall and Dock Inspection Covers in a Waterfront Home Sale City-Level Seawall and Dock Rules: Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, and Pompano Beach Mid-November Marine Outlook: Cold Fronts, Wind, and Boating Conditions Planning Dredging Around the Boating Season: Why Winter Is the Window November 2026 Marine Outlook: Tides, Weather, and Boating in South Florida Seawall Service Life: When Concrete and Steel Walls Need Replacement Winter Manatee Zones Start November 15 in Broward and Palm Beach Sea Level Rise Projections for South Florida: What the Numbers Mean for Waterfront Owners Palm Beach County Seawall and Dock Rules: What Waterfront Owners Should Know Buying a Waterfront Home: The Dock, Seawall, and Depth Checklist Florida Dock Permits: How Most Residential Docks Are Covered Late-October King Tides 2026: What Docks and Seawalls Will Face Fall Waterfront Maintenance: A Check-It-Now List for Docks, Seawalls, and Lifts Boat Draft and Water Depth: Keeping Your Slip Usable at Mean Low Tide Fort Lauderdale's New Slow-Speed Zone: What Intracoastal Boaters Should Know Sea Level Rise Projections for Broward and Palm Beach: What the Numbers Mean for Owners October 2026 Marine Outlook: Weather, Tides, and Red Tide for South Florida Boaters Where Dredged Material Goes: The Disposal Rules Behind Every Waterfront Project What's Changing in the Dredging Business: Trends for Waterfront Owners Dredging Permits in Florida: What Waterfront Owners Need to Know Seawall Maintenance: Signs to Check and Why Early Action Pays King Tide Season 2026: What South Florida Boat Owners Should Watch Questions to Ask a Dredging Company Before You Hire One Broward's New Seawall Standards: What Boat and Dock Owners Should Know Does Deeper Water Add Value to Your Waterfront Property? The Waterfront Owner's Guide: The Free Resource That Helps You Decide More Than Dredging: The Network Behind a Finished Waterfront Job

Free resources

Request free resources about dredging

Tell us about your dock, slip or waterway and we'll send the free resources that match your situation, plus a free site consultation if you want one.

Request free resources

We'll reach out with resources and, if you want, a free site consultation.

Call (561) 299-1323