This session focuses on understanding the processes that affect the groundwater resources of the coastal aquifer systems of the Atlantic Seaboard and what information they can provide. These processes include, but are not limited to: effects of climate variability including changes in precipitation, temperature, and sea level; shifts in groundwater flow in response to changes in groundwater withdrawals and the return of treated wastewater; and increased development and the accompanying change in land use. By understanding the overall potential effects of all these processes on coastal groundwater systems, we can assess where resulting impacts are most likely to occur.