Fresh Water Impacts
Rising sea levels can cause saltwater to move landward and into groundwater aquifers. Freshwater, already in short supply in some coastal and agricultural areas of Florida, can become unusable if too much saltwater is introduced. For low-lying south Florida, a 1-foot rise in sea level could cause a major inland shift of the salt- and fresh-water boundary. This session will examine how scientists and journalists can effectively convey the science of predicting sea level rise and fresh water supplies to a non-scientific audience.

Ecological Impacts
The natural coastline provides numerous essential "services" to Florida residents, including the buffering of storm surges. One of the first effects of sea level will rise will be the destruction of the state's last natural dune systems. Not only do these systems harbor diverse, fragile and unique ecosystems, but they also protect inland areas from flooding and "recharge" the sand on beaches. Coastal communities will have to spend increasing amounts of money on "beach renourishment," or dredging sand from the Gulf and placing it back on the beaches. Sea level rise will also decrease the ability of river systems to absorb some pollutants, while threatening fresh water supplies. In this session, scientists and journalists will discuss these and related issues and examine how they are currently being reported in the media.

Public Health Impacts
Global warming poses potential health threats of several kinds, including the availability of clean and safe drinking water. In addition, most of the organisms that cause water-borne disease thrive in warmer water. The increased rainfall projected for Florida could also increase the prevalence of some water-borne illnesses. The elderly, the young, and other vulnerable segments of the population would be most affected. Low-income populations may also be at greater risk because of less access to high quality healthcare. Salt water can also intrude into infrastructure such as sewer systems and introduce a range of long-term problems that may impact community health.

Economic Impacts
The beach is the number one draw for the tens of millions of people who visit Florida each year, who add more than $50 billion to the state economy annually. If higher seas ravage beaches and harm coral reefs, coastal estuaries, and associated fisheries, the state's economy will suffer. Miami Beach, Key West, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Pensacola and other coastal cities could face enormous technical and economic challenges to prevent permanent flooding of low lying areas and associated property damage. This session will examine how scientists can most effectively convey to the public and policy makers the predicted economic impacts of sea-level rise in Florida.