WRRC 2023 Spring Seminar

March 10, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Mānoa Campus, Zoom Meeting

An Engineering Solution to Restoring Wai: K膩newai Spring and Kalauha驶iha驶i Fishpond

by 1Chris Cramer and 2Hina Ioane

1Maunalua Fishpond Heritage Center and 2Chaminade University

The 1990s widening of Kalaniana驶ole Highway caused an environmental catastrophe by cutting the freshwater flow to Kalauha驶iha驶i Fishpond in Niu, O驶ahu and Maunalua Bay. Nearby K膩newai Spring in Kuli驶ou驶ou was also severely damaged. In 2007, Maunalua Fishpond Heritage Center (MFHC) began working to return freshwater flow through these springs to the nearshore. Life-giving p奴n膩wai (water springs) were once plentiful and celebrated in Hawaiian mo驶olelo. Today most are destroyed. Finding a lack of documentation, MFHC conducted oral histories to map the artesian water system.

K膩newai Spring is currently imperiled by a development project at its artesian source. However, water quality data gathered by Chaminade University students found it still able to support a range of native species. These same students found hypoxic conditions at the Kalauha鈥榠ha鈥榠 Fishpond. Unfortunately, their findings indicate Kalauha驶iha驶i can no longer host native fish and aquatic species.

Systemic failure to protect artesian water resources has allowed them to be destroyed. In 2023 to 2024, MFHC is collaborating with the State DLNR Engineering Branch which is scheduling repairs to the mauka to makai water flow through a trenchless drilling project. This innovative approach offers promise for many communities with ruined water resources.

Register for meeting:

https://hawaii.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0vduyorDsqGdWsktMTr__nTYswJ7UJTdAE


Event Sponsor
WRRC, Mānoa Campus

More Information
Keri Kodama, 956-3174, kodamak8@hawaii.edu

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