JUPITER ISLAND, Fla. (CBS12) — One of Florida’s wealthiest coastal communities is confronting a growing threat from the ocean itself.

New engineering reports and discussions among local officials reveal increasing concerns about erosion, flooding and sea level rise on Jupiter Island, an exclusive barrier island community in Martin County known for its multimillion-dollar oceanfront estates. Census data and demographic rankings routinely place Jupiter Island among the wealthiest communities in Florida.

A newly completed vulnerability assessment warns that the narrow barrier island faces increasing risks from storm surge, tidal flooding, and sea level rise in the coming decades. According to the report, some portions of Jupiter Island measure only about 550 feet wide between the Atlantic Ocean and Intracoastal Waterway.

The report states “the entire municipality is faced with flooding concerns dominated by storm surge” and projects waters around the island could rise more than two feet by 2080 under NOAA intermediate projections.

During a May 18 meeting of the Jupiter Island Beach Protection District, officials discussed erosion “hotspots” and the growing urgency to secure offshore sand deposits for future beach renourishment projects.

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“I’m fascinated by how the profile of the beaches can change from day to day and week to week depending on the wind and the waves,” said Mayor Penny Townsend

Engineers also told officials that while recent seas have been calmer, portions of the shoreline remain unstable. “

We still do have minor escarpments in the area,” said Beach District Director John Duchock

While the reports do not predict Jupiter Island is about to split apart or permanently breach, they make clear the island’s geography leaves it highly vulnerable during major storms.

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Officials analyzed scenarios involving sea level rise, king tides, storm surge, and heavy rainfall, including compound flooding events where several threats happen simultaneously. The district is expected to continue monitoring erosion conditions and discussing future renourishment plans in the months ahead.