We've gone from monitoring 41 to 33 sites!

As of August 2020, Hui O Ka Wai Ola has gone from monitoring 41 to 33 sites! After looking closely at the data our volunteers have gathered since June 2016, the Technical Committee recommended eight sites to “pause” and one site to discontinue for one or more of the following reasons: we have a good understanding of their water quality dynamics, these sites have little to no pollution or fluctuation, no management is currently underway for contributing land based pollution, and/or no permanent funding is available to continue monitoring these sites. The Committee also added one site, Kahekili Two, which is north of the previously monitored Kahekili Beach Park site and is closer to the influence of the Lahaina Wastewater Treatment facility.

Sites currently paused are:

1. Olowalu Point
2. Ukumehame Park
3. Sugar Beach
4. Mai Poina Park
5. Palauea Beach
6. Po'olenalena Park (Chang's)
7. Mākena Landing
8. One'uli Beach

Sites recently discontinued are:

1. Pāpalaua Park

Sites recently added are:

1. Kahekili Two

With fewer sites to monitor, we have moved from 4 survey teams in West Maui and 4 teams in South Maui to 3 teams on each side. The teams are currently monitoring the following sites  every three weeks year-round:

WEST MAUI North Ridge to Reef	​​South Ridge to Reef	​​Polanui
Honolua Bay	Napili Bay	505 Front St.
Oneloa Beach	Pōhaku Park	Kauaula Rd. (Lindsey Hale)
Kapalua Bay	Kā'anapali Shores	Lāhaina Town
Ka'opala Bay	Kahekili Two	Olowalu Shorefront
Kahana Village	Hanaka'ō'ō Park (Canoe Beach)	Camp Olowalu
-	Wahikuli Park	​Pāpalaua Pali

SOUTH MAUI ​North Kīhei	​Kama'ole	​Wailea
Ma'alaea Harbor	Kalepolepo Park	Kilohana Dr.
Ma'alaea Condos	Waipuilani Park	Keawakapu Beach
Haycraft Park	Kīhei South (W. Lipoa St.)	Ulua Park
Keālia Pond	Kalama Park	Maluaka Beach
Kīhei Canoe Club	Cove Park	'Āhihi-Kīna'u North
-	-	​'Āhihi-Kīna'u South

Part of this shift to monitor fewer sites allows the Hui to expand our efforts into some other water quality research, such as source detection, including limu nitrogen isotope testing, and working with partners to delve deeper into some of the pollution “hot spots” our data has helped identify. More on this to come!