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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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,…
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,…
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…
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,…
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…