Participants were asked to consider how altered precipitation regimes, water temperature changes, seasonal patterns affecting fisheries, vulnerabilities to human health, extreme events, sensitive ecological areas such as wetlands and estuaries, groundwater overdraft and contamination, urbanization, aging infrastructures, non-point source pollution, loss and lack of data and monitoring will impact coastal and freshwater interests across upstate New York and New England.

A workshop challenge was presented to participants to determine the reliability of climate information, and the quantitative level of uncertainty for possible future events. The objective was to adequately address the host of political, social, economic, and institutional/organizational issues that may arise from the disconnect between a stationary water-resources infrastructure, vulnerable communities and a changing climate.

Some questions considered during the workshop included:

1. How does climate variability currently affect water resources and what impacts can be clearly described?
2. What are the important climate variables for monitoring and anticipating water resource changes?
3. How will climate change impact streamflow?
4. On what time scales are forecasts useful? (hours days, weeks, months)
5. On what spatial scales would the information be useful (city, county, region)
6. What important strategies are available for mitigating climate variability?
7. What could we do now to mitigate future conditions?
8. What does the decision-maker need to know?
9. What kinds of long-term effects would climate change or systemic climate variability have on water-resources?
10. What long-term coping strategies should be considered for each of these cases?
11. What long-term efforts are needed to prepare for climate change?

Additionally, the Water Workshop was designed to:

1. Initiate a two-way dialogue on the evolving scientific understanding of how potential climate change may impact the regions' water resources in the future.
2. Solicit the perceptions and concerns of members of the water resources sector, landowners, and others with vested interests in water resources regarding climate change issues.
3. Identify specific gaps in information available to the general public.

Participants were asked to contribute their views and ideas, based on their first hand experiences, regarding the current stresses influencing water resources, and how they felt future changes in climate would affect water interests.