Background - Climate Change and Infrastructure, Urban Systems, and Vulnerabilities - page 12

Table 3. System interactions - climate change impacts in Boston

Table 3. System interactions - climate change impacts in Boston

River Sea Level Water Water

Energy Health Transport Flooding Rise Supply quality

Energy Summer: Summer: Summer Not NA Summer: Summer: Summer:

More electricity
demand. Also
more brown-outs
and more local
emissions.
Winter:
Less gas
and heating
oil demand.

More electricity Also decrease Also (if applicable Also Also more

demand. Also in air quality energy (NA) increased cooling water

more brown-outs higher shortages), cooling will impact

and more local morbidity loss of rail water water quality

emissions. and mortality. service, loss needs. (local and blow

Winter: Winter: of traffic down).

Less gas Also air signals.

and heating quality Disruption of

oil demand. improvement air traffic.

Health NA Summer: NA NA NA NA NA

NA Summer:

Slightly higher
health-related
mortality 2010.
Also increased
emission-related
illnesses.

NA NA NA NA NA

Slightly higher

health-related
mortality 2010.
Also increased

emission-related

illnesses.

Transport Increased Also reduced Increased NA NA NA NA Increased

travel time.
Loss of trips.
More miles.
More hours.

Impacts energy public safety travel time.

Due to demand due Loss of trips.

River and to more travel. More miles.

Coastal More hours.

Flooding

River Possible Increased Less trips Temporary Also will Also could Also could Possible Increased Less trips Temporary

loss of land
and land
activity

Also will Also could Also could

Flooding disruption pathogens in and increased loss of land increase flood water flood disruption pathogens in and increased increase flood water flood

in local water supply traffic delay. and land flooding treatment wastewater in local water supply traffic delay. flooding treatment wastewater

deliveries. . (see Transport activity impacts. plants and treatment deliveries. (see Transport impacts. plants and treatment .

section). wells. plants. More section). wells. plants. More

non-point
scarce pollution.

non-point
scarce pollution.

Sea NA NA Less trips Also could Permanent Also could flood Permanent

loss of Level and increased increase loss of wastewater

Rise traffic delay river flood some coastal treatment plants some coastal

land. Tem- (see Transport losses. land. Tem- and may impact

section). porary loss any new porary loss

of land and desalination of land and

land activities. land activities. plants.

Water Also possible Less reliable NA NA NA Less reliable Times when Also possible Less reliable NA NA NA Less reliable

local supply.

Times when

Supply loss of local local supply local supply. more water loss of local local supply more water

energy supply could result in withdrawal and energy supply could result in withdrawal and

because of lack hydration and thus less because of lack hydration and thus less

of cooling water. water quality dilution. of cooling water. water quality dilution.

problems. problems.

Water Also warmer Also increased NA NA NA More Less dissolved

Less dissolved
oxygen. Moe
non-point source
pollution.
Warmer water.

Quality waters could illness due to treatment oxygen. Moe

result in less exposure to necessary. non-point source

of local energy water from pollution.

production. diseases. Warmer water.