Update to Hui O Ka Wai Ola and DOH sample sites!

The Hawai'i Department of Health (DOH) has monitored 18 Tier 1 sites weekly for basic water quality parameters and bacteria since the end of 2017. Some of these sites have also been monitored by Hui O Ka Wai Ola, who collected additional nutrient data (nitrogen and phosphorus compounds) along with turbidity and other basic physical parameters. DOH is now collecting all of the parameters that Hui O Ka Wai Ola collects and more (Enterococcus, Clostridium and Chlorophyll A) at these 18 DOH Tier 1 sites!

This allows Hui O Ka Wai Ola to discontinue monitoring at the following 8 DOH Tier 1 sites, since our efforts are no longer needed:

• Launiupoko Beach Park
• Airport (Kahekili) Beach
• DT Fleming Beach Park
• Mile Marker 14
• Kama'ole Beach I
• Kama'ole Beach III
• Wailea Beach
• Mākena Beach Shoreline

Volunteer Jim collecting a sample at Launiupoko. Photo: Bruce Forrester

The Hui can now look to adopt additional sites elsewhere, or utilize this excess effort to expand our program in other ways. You can see updates to our monitoring locations on our Data Page. The Hui will continue to  monitor two Tier 1 sites to use as Quality Assurance for our nutrient data, but this will only be for a short time until we determine that our results are in line with DOH results:

• Hanaka'ō'ō (Canoe Beach)
• Cove Park

Kudos to the DOH for almost doubling the number of Tier 1 sites on Maui from 10 to 18 in the last year. The addition of nutrient parameters to the Tier 1 sites is incredibly beneficial for all the environmental work being done on the island of Maui by watershed partnerships. This incredible effort and dedication to gathering comprehensive and quality assured data for Maui's beach goers and marine life by the DOH is greatly appreciated! To view DOH's data, please visit: cwb.doh.hawaii.gov/CleanWaterBranch/WaterQualityData/default.aspx.  ​