The State of Hawaii Department of Health (DOH), State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), County of Maui, the University of Hawaii (UH) and many conservation groups are working collaboratively to monitor impacts and protect watersheds, nearshore waters, and coastal ecosystems.
Many efforts serve to protect both watersheds and nearshore waters. For example, following the fires, the County of Maui’s Department of Public Works (DPW) immediately deployed Best Management Practices (BMPs) within the burned area to protect drainage systems and waterways. Filter socks and straw waddles have been placed around drain inlets and catch basins throughout the town. Turbidity curtains and check dams have also been installed downstream of burned structures where there is potential to direct runoff toward the ocean. DPW continues to develop and innovate BMPs related to the burn area.
The Army Corps of Engineers is also expediting the removal of ash and debris to limit exposure to near shore waters and watersheds.
The Hawaii Department of Transportation is implementing a stormwater capture system in Lahaina. For more information on this please see the information below.
Department of Transportation - Ka 'Oihana Alakau
JOSH GREEN, M.D. GOVERNOR | KE KIAʻĀINA
ED SNIFFEN DIRECTOR | KA LUNA HOʻOKELE
For Immediate Release: Nov. 21, 2023
Emergency Stormwater Capture System to be installed in Lahaina
Capture system will help prevent disaster debris from flowing into the ocean
LAHAINA, Hawaiʻi – The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation (HDOT), County of Maui, and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is installing an emergency stormwater capture system in Lahaina to reduce the environmental impact from silt, ash, and other disaster debris potentially entering storm drainage systems.
The $40 million project, which includes design, construction management and continued management of the system through 2024, is funded through the FHWA Emergency Relief program. The area to be covered by the stormwater capture system includes the entire length of Front Street, Honoapiʻilani Highway between its southern connection with Front Street and Wahikuli Wayside Park, and stormwater inlets in Leialiʻi Hawaiian Home Land, Kapunakea, Mala, the Puʻunoa Beach area, Lahaina Town, Lunaville, and Waineʻe. A map showing the project area can be seen here.
Work to prepare the area for installation has begun. People may notice the Best Management Practices (BMPs) in the form of green “socks” or fences to filter sediment and pollutants being installed in the project area. Additional measures may include:
Debris removal through street sweeping, vacuum trucks and road crews.
Source control through the application of hydromulch in open grubbed areas that are historically prone to erosion during storm events. Only nontoxic and biodegradable materials that have previously been used on Maui will be used for the hydromulch.
Inlet protection using sediment fabrics on inlets and catch basins to provide additional filtering of stormwater as it enters drainage structures.
Capture and treatment by temporarily capturing and diverting stormwater for pollutant removal before discharging it back into the storm drainage system.
For more information on Maui stormwater management visit stormwatermaui.com and the Maui County Stormwater Management Program.
Nearshore Waters
A number of groups are working together to monitor nearshore water quality and protect critical ecosystems and reefs.
DOH’s clean water branch continues to conduct coastal water surveillance and watershed-based environmental management to protect coastal and inland water resources. DOH also provides constantly updated water quality monitoring information and advisories.
In September, DLNR, in collaboration with USGS, began collecting data through sampling instruments in the waters just off the coast of West Maui. The sophisticated sampling instruments mimic what a living creature would absorb in order to understand exposure to fire related impacts.
In October, UH and the Pacific Whale Foundation installed water quality sensors in ocean waters around the Lahaina impact zone. UH has identified a wide range of partners and collaborators on their research and protection efforts, which include DLNR, the West Maui Watershed and Coastal Management program, the DOH, the UH Maui College water quality lab, Hui o Ka Wai Ola, the Pacific Whale Foundation, and members of the Lahaina community.
According to the University of Hawaii “the UH team is working collaboratively with the community and county, state and federal experts to identify the pollutants and assess their abundance and ultimately determine if they will alter the ecosystem and affect its resilience in the future. The team was awarded a rapid response grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to study the immediate impacts from the contaminants created by the fire.”
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is also working to prevent ash tainted with contaminants from blowing or washing into the ocean. The application of soil stabilizer Soiltac not only protects air quality, but also mitigates runoff and water contamination. Additionally, the EPA has done extensive hazardous waste removal to ensure that high-risk hazards and contaminants are removed from the fire impacted areas.
Nearshore Water Resources
University of Hawaii News: UH researchers investigate nearshore water quality, reef health after Maui fires
Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR): News and Information
StateDepartment of Health, Clean Water Branch: Water Quality Advisory Information
Watershed Protection
The County of Maui’s Department of Public Works has been implementing a range of projects within burned areas to protect drainage systems and waterways. Implementing best management practices around drain inlets and catch basins serves to protect watersheds and offer environmental protection.
The County and Maui Soil & Water Conservation districts have been working with the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Pacific Islands Area office to secure critically needed federal funding and technical assistance through its Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) program.
The EWP program is designed to safeguard life and property from imminent hazards caused by natural disasters. The SWCDs of Olinda-Kula, West Maui and Central Maui have collectively applied to partner with NRCS as the EWP Program Sponsor.
Watershed protection and prevention of soil erosion efforts are being deployed to prevent infrastructure damage and flooding that can threaten structures and lands downstream of burned areas. Some possible upcoming EWP projects include appropriate revegetation efforts to stabilize soil and prevent erosion; controls to protect the young plants from feral deer; restoration of water systems; and removal of large quantities of debris from difficult terrain.
In addition to watershed protection efforts, water systems and drinking water sources continue to undergo extensive testing from the Maui County Department of Water Supply, DOH, and EPA. To learn more about drinking water advisories and monitoring efforts, visit https://www.mauirecovers.org/utilities.
Watershed Protection Resources
University of Hawaii at Manoa, Water Resources Research Center: Maui Post-Fire CommunityDrinking-Water Information Hub
Maui Soil & Water Conservation Districts: Website and Information