SPONSOR:
City and County of Honolulu
PROJECT PERIOD:
1/01/12 – 6/30/14
ABSTRACT:
The University of Hawaii Water Resources Research Center (WRRC) will conduct scientific monitoring of benthic fauna surrounding ocean disposal outlets of effluent from City and County of Honolulu (City) wastewater treatment plants. These studies will contribute to the City’s program to evaluate compliance with federal or state permits and will cover the Sand Island, Barber’s Point, Waianae, and Mokapu outfalls. With some exceptions, collection of samples is the responsibility of the City; laboratory and statistical analysis of samples and synthesis of results will be carried out by WRRC. Specific objects of study vary between outfalls, but include: micromollusks, nonmollusks, polychaetes, crustaceans, and epifaunal micromollusks; fish liver histopathology; shallow-water observation of coral cover and reef fish populations; and assessment of videotapes of fish and epibenthic megainvertebrate populations.
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR