Seawalls don’t have to do all the heavy lifting. A new Southwest Florida flood blueprint puts mangroves, oyster reefs and dunes to work alongside traditional infrastructure, with the goal of slowing water before it reaches homes and businesses.
As hurricane season nears, Southwest Florida homeowners are turning to flood panels to protect against storm surge. Officials urge caution, proper permitting and careful vetting of contractors as interest in the systems continues to rise.
Punta Gorda City Council unanimously ended leases for Punta Gorda Chocolate & Wine and Punta Gorda Coffee & Tea after repeated storm damage and disputed communications. The owners will reopen in a higher-elevation location on West Marion Avenue.
Twenty years after Hurricane Wilma made landfall in Collier County, it still holds the record for the lowest barometric pressure ever recorded in the Atlantic basin, marking one of the most powerful and memorable storms in Southwest Florida history.
Naples Airport is taking no chances with storm surge. After coming within inches of catastrophic flooding during Hurricane Ian, the airport has installed a $259,000 Tiger Dam system that can be deployed within hours to protect key facilities. Officials say the water-filled barriers are faster, stronger and more cost-effective than sandbags.
