Seminar Series Archives

After the Fire: The Importance of Scientific Support in Protecting Health and RecoveryAugust 18, 2023 (12:30 pm, HST) ∙ WRRC Special Seminar ∙

Speaker: Dr. Andrew J. Whelton In response to the Maui wildfires and the probable contamination of water infrastructure, Dr. Andrew J. Whelton, Professor of Civil Engineering and Environmental and Ecological Engineering at Purdue University in Indianapolis, Indiana, was invited by…

The Consequences of Groundwater Withdrawals and their Implications for Sustainable Yield in Hawai‘iApril 28, 2023 (2:00 pm, HST)

Speaker: Dr. Scot Izuka How much groundwater is available for human use from Hawai’i’s aquifers? It depends. All groundwater withdrawals-even from the smallest wells-have consequences such as water-table decline, saltwater intrusion, and reduction of groundwater discharge to springs, streams, and…

Environmental Justice Through the Lens of Coastal HealthApril 14, 2023 (2:00 pm, HST)

Speaker: Dr. Eileen Nalley A legacy of contamination from unsustainable land use affects the health of coastal ecosystems and communities around the globe. In Hawaiʻi and the Pacific Islands, where many communities are reliant on marine resources for their nutrition,…

Envisioning Water Security and Resilience in the Pacific: Lessons from Integrated Ridge to Reef Studies in American SamoaMarch 24, 2023 (2:00 pm, HST)

Speakers:  Ms. Mia Comeros and Dr. Chris Shuler Abstract: Enhancing actionable science links to management of natural resources in island communities is critically important given the strong land-sea connection, intrinsic vulnerability to terrestrial runoff and climate change impacts, and high…

An Engineering Solution to Restoring Wai: Kānewai Spring and Kalauha‘iha‘i FishpondMarch 10, 2023 (2:00 pm, HST)

Speakers:  Mr. Chris Cramer and Ms. Hina Ioane Abstract: The 1990s widening of Kalanianaʻole Highway caused an environmental catastrophe by cutting the freshwater flow to Kalauhaʻihaʻi Fishpond in Niu, Oʻahu and Maunalua Bay. Nearby Kānewai Spring in Kuliʻouʻou was also…

Mālama Pu‘uloa: Fostering Innovative Collaboration to Restore Pearl Harbor to AbundanceFebruary 24, 2023 (2:00 pm, HST)

Speaker:  Ms. Sandy Ward Abstract: It is clear that the watersheds of the ʻEwa district (moku) must be the focus of intense restoration and research efforts. Eight ʻEwa moku watersheds feed into Pearl Harbor (Puʻuloa) and include extensive shoreline wetlands,…

Pu‘uloa Plankton Party: Student Focused Coastal ResearchDate: February 10, 2023 (2:00 pm, HST)

Speaker:  Dr. Donn Viviani Abstract: Puʻuloa (Pearl Harbor) is the largest estuary in the central Pacific. Puʻuloa is also understudied, particularly compared to other estuarine systems. Leeward Community College (Leeward CC) has a rich tradition of oceanographic investigation of Puʻuloa,…

Linking Climate, Forests, and Limu: Examining the Influence of Environmental Change on Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems in KeauhouDate: December 2, 2022 (2:00 pm, HST)

Speakers:  Drs. Leah Bremer, Brytne Okuhata, Angela Richards Donà, and Celia Smith Abstract: Groundwater dependent ecosystems (GDEs) are increasingly recognized as a critical component of sustainable groundwater management worldwide. Despite this importance, data linking drivers of hydrologic change to GDEs…

Seedling Drought Tolerance in a Changing ClimateDate: November 18, 2022 (2:00 pm, HST)

Speaker: Dr. Kasey Barton Abstract: Climate change is altering water availability with dramatic consequences for plant performance and population stability. Seedlings are often more sensitive to water limitation than older plants of the same species due to their small size,…

Potential Effects of Drought, Climate Change, and Cloud-Water Interception on Groundwater Recharge and Wildfire Risk in HawaiʻiDate: November 4, 2022 (2:00 pm, HST)

Speaker: Dr. Alan Mair Abstract: Long-term downward trends of rainfall and concurrent long-term upward trends in drought duration and magnitude extend across most of the Hawaiian Islands. Some future climate projections indicate that rainfall is projected to further decrease across…