Florida’s Reefs The majority of the 356 km Florida Reef tract lies within the boundaries of Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Given that climate-related stressors originate outside the Sanctuary’s boundaries, are there adaptive management options avail- able to alleviate the impacts of climate change on the Sanctuary? Water Utilities The effects of climate change impose technical challenges to both water supply and wastewater operations. Utilities serving coastal communities will face difficulties predicting supply needs as residents move in response to rising sea level. Will these transformative climate change impacts provide an opportunity to rethink the fundamentals of how we use water? Springs and Rivers: Minimum Flows & Levels Does climate change, or non-stationary climate, require that minimum flows and levels be set more conservatively? Should water allocations include a “buffer” for climate change? Estuaries Which management strategies are most appropriate for addressing climate change impacts to estuaries? How can neighboring infrastructure be designed to be compatible with a changing estuary? 06089-NV-2010 Coastal Bridges The 75-year service life of today’s bridges means they will have to perform in a changed climate. How should the design of coastal bridges and roadways change to ensure that they are safe and functional under future climate conditions? Sea LeveL RISe Sea level rise is expected to accelerate in the coming cen- tury. Increases up to 10 times the present rate could raise sea level over 6.5 feet by the year 2100. TempeRaTuRe IncReaSe Temperature increases as much as 4.5 to 9.0 o F, are expected in the southeastern U.S. by the year 2100. RaInfaLL paTTeRnS Rainfall patterns across Florida may change in response to climate change. The direc- tion of change, toward more rain or less rain, and the magnitude of change is uncertain. Extreme precipita- tion events are expected to increase in intensity. HuRRIcane fRequency The western Atlantic may experience a lower number of tropical cyclones due to global warming, but the number of intense storms may double. By mid-century, Florida may experience more Category 4 and 5 hurricanes and larger storm surges. Ocean acIdIfIcaTIOn Carbon dioxide from burning of fossil fuels is reducing the pH of ocean water. This change has enormous impli- cations for marine organisms with shells and skeletons of carbonate minerals that may dissolve under low pH conditions. STReSSORS Climate Change Adaptation for Florida’s Ecosystems and Infrastructure