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Fort Lauderdale Tire Reef Disaster

Fort Lauderdale Tire Reef Disaster

February 19, 2007 By Gus in Miami: Local News | 1 Comment

Just a few miles offshore from Fort Lauderdale lie 2 million old tires, strewn across the ocean floor.

What began as a well-intentioned attempt in 1972 to create the world’s largest artificial reef made of tires, has since become an ecological disaster.

“No one can say with certainty why the idea doesn’t work, but one problem is that, unlike large ships that have been sunk for reefs, tires are too light. They can be swept away by the tides and powerful storms before marine life has a chance to attach. Some scientists also believe the rubber leaches toxins.”

(Photos by W.H. Nuckols)

The ill-advised idea was to create marine habitat while disposing of tires. But little sea life formed on the rubber. Some of the bundles bound together have broken loose and are scatted across the ocean floor an area the size of 31 football fields. Thousands of tires have wedged up against a natural reef, blocking coral growth.

Starting in June, Navy divers will begin removing the tires as part of their annual training mission. The full-scale salvage operation is expected to run through 2010 at a cost to the state of about $3.4 million.

Florida’s proposed budget includes $2 million to help gather up and remove the tires. The military divers would do their share of the work at no cost to the state by making it part of their training.

NBC6.net titled the AP story “Tire Reef Turns Into Blunder”.

If this was a “blunder” then the Exxon Valdez oil spill was a “slip-up”.

I applaud the State of Florida for funding projects like the artificial reef program. Most of the artificial reefs offshore Miami-Dade and Broward have been successful.

Thankfully, our representatives have not given up on new ideas.

Projects rumored this year include…

Manatee Rescue Center and Power Boat Racing Marina
Miami Sea Turtle Nursery and Beach Volleyball Institute
Florida Panther Refuge Motor Speedway
South Beach Blacktip Shark Replenishment Project

With a colorful place like Florida, I’m sure there’s more.

UPDATE: No joke, FPL is planning twin coal-burning power plants uncomfortably close to the Everglades.

Related Categories: Miami: Local News,

Gus Moore heads up Miami Beach 411 as site administrator. You can reach him at 1-305-754-2206.

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1 Comments on

"Fort Lauderdale Tire Reef Disaster"

Ed in Fort Lauderdale says:

That really is terrible. And I am sorry, but using tires as substrate for an artificial reef just sounds like a bad idea right from the start. They mentioned the possibility of chemical agents “leaching” out of the tires, so why wouldn’t someone set-up an analysis of some sort to CONFIRM this. Also, anyone with any knowledge of corals and coral polyps would know that they require a hard and rigid surface to “root” down (for lack of a better term)and it would surprise me if a rubber tire is sufficient for this.

This is definitely a sore-spot for me. I am an avid ocean lover and I maintain reef aquariums as a hobby, so the prolonged health of the ocean is very important to me.

Posted on 04/20/2009 at 8:28 AM

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