South Florida Water Supply In Jeopardy

South Florida is not known for struggling with water scarcity, but as climate patterns change, the region's supply may be threatened by salt from the ocean.

The region is lush with generous water sources, including groundwater and around 60 inches of rainfall a year. "But rising sea levels change things in unexpected ways, and seawater threatens to turn the drinking water salty. In some places, the ocean has already made good on that threat. And the problem is going to get worse," American Public Media reported.

Infrastructure across the region protects freshwater sources from ocean water, including crucial gate-like structures. But the water is rising too high to keep the ocean water out, according to the report.

Harold Wanless, a University of Miami geology professor, predicts that most of the gates will become obsolete.

"By the middle of the century, or before, 82 percent of these structures will no longer function," Wanless said, per the report.

Some officials are already moving on the issue. "Miami Beach is spending up to $400 million on pumps to send floodwater out to sea," the report said.

Miami-Dade County is working with the federal government on the problem.

"In order to adapt to the changes that sea level rise will bring to this heavily populated, ecologically important area, Miami-Dade County recognizes the need for a cohesive approach to planning for climate change," according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Climate change is the culprit behind rising sea levels, according to Brian McNoldy of the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science.

"Like many low-lying coastal cities around the world, Miami is threatened by rising seas. Whether the majority of the cause is anthropogenic or natural, the end result is indisputable: sea level is rising and it is due to climate change," McNoldy said.