Hawaii Coastales

Rarely a day goes by in Hawai‘i without the media reporting on environmental issues stemming from public debate. Will the proposed housing development block my access to the beach? Is the rising sea level going to cause flooding where I live? How does overfishing damage the reef? Is the water clean where I surf? Living on the Shores of Hawai‘i discusses the paradox of environmental loss under a management system considered by many to be one of the most stringent in the nation. It reviews a wide range of environmental concerns in Hawai‘i with an eye toward resolution by focusing on "place-based" management, a theme consistent with—and borrowing from—the Hawaiian ahupua‘a system. After describing a typical situation in Hawai‘i where a sandy beach is lost because a seawall has been built to protect a poorly sited home, the authors step back in time to trace land-use practices before and after the arrival of Westerners and the increased tempo of destruction following the latter. They go on to discuss volcanoes and the risk of placing homes in locations vulnerable to natural hazards and the potential dangers of earthquakes and tsunamis to a complacent public. Water issues, including scarcity, flooding, and pollution, are surveyed, as well as climate change and the possible outcomes of projected sea rise for Hawai‘i. The authors explain coastal erosion and beach loss and the problems of overfishing and ocean acidification. Later chapters assess residents’ risks to hurricanes, offering mitigation techniques, and provide a summary and some management conclusions. As tensions increase because of conflicting standards, misunderstandings, and contradictory ideals and actions, we put our economy and quality of life at risk. Sound decision-making begins with asking the right questions. This book addresses these questions within the context of sustainability and thus their influence on the future of Hawai‘i.

Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) is a spatially pervasive phenomenon that adds freshwater, nutrients, dissolved metals, bacteria, and other constituents to the coastal ocean. This dissertation investigated SGD-related inputs of nutrients and fecal indicator bacteria (Escherichia coli and Enterococcus sp.) to coastal waters in two Hawaiian locations, the north shore of Kaua'i and the Kona coast of Hawai'i. Concentrations of caffeine, which has been used previously as a wastewater tracer, were measured in groundwater and surface water on the north shore of Kaua'i. Both study areas have relatively light levels of urban and agricultural development, and maintaining good water quality is essential for their tourism-based economies, coral reefs, fisheries, and traditional way of life. Radium (Ra), an element with naturally elevated concentrations in coastal groundwater, was used as an SGD tracer and a mass-balance approach was used to quantify SGD. On the north shore of Kaua'i, agriculture was associated with higher nitrate + nitrite concentrations in the fresh SGD component, while phosphate and silica appeared to be controlled by geological differences in aquifer substrate. High ammonium concentrations in the fresh SGD component at one site may have been caused by a leaky cesspool. In Kona, no relation between urban development or agriculture and groundwater nutrient concentrations was observed, but bare lava rock was associated with higher nitrate + nitrite and silica concentrations in fresh SGD. Sites closer to golf courses also had higher nitrate + nitrite concentrations. Conservative estimates of total SGD on the north shore of Kaua'i ranged from 1.3 to 7.8 L per meter per minute, or up to 10% of Hanalei River discharge, and SGD contributed significant nitrate + nitrite inputs to Hanalei Bay. Estimates of SGD in Kona ranged from 5 to 1200 L per meter per minute, with between 10 and 100% of the brackish SGD comprised by the fresh SGD component. SGD-related water and nutrient fluxes on the Kona Coast -- where no rivers and streams are present -- were large compared to those reported for other sites worldwide. Caffeine concentrations in environmental waters on the north shore of Kaua'i ranged from 0-88 ng/L, on the low end of what has been reported for other locations. Metribuzin, an herbicide, was also detected at concentrations from 4-11 ng/L in five groundwater and surface water samples. A sensitivity analysis of Ra-based methods of estimating water ages and coastal mixing rates revealed that water ages shorter than 3 d cannot be estimated with confidence using Ra-based methods, even if the only uncertainty considered is analytical error. In conclusion, this dissertation provides new data about SGD and related inputs of nutrients and bacteria to Hawaiian coastal waters, suggests that even low levels of development may influence nutrient concentrations in coastal groundwater, presents the first caffeine concentrations measured in environmental water samples collected in a tropical setting, and explores the limits of applicability of Ra-based methods of estimating water ages and coastal mixing rates, providing guidance for researchers conducting Ra-based SGD studies in the future.

Draft environmental impact statement on coastal zone management for the Hawaiian Islands.