West Maui
Wahikuli-Honokōwai Watershed Management Plan
West Maui Projects (2013-2014)
Funded by NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program awards to the Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources.
Click Here for an overview of the West Maui Priority Area.
Kahekili Herbivore Fisheries Management Area
The Kahekili Herbivore Fisheries Management Area (KHFMA) was established by DAR in 2009 to control the overabundance of alien and native marine algae by increasing the abundance of herbivorous fishes and sea urchins. Under KHFMA rules, it is illegal to take any herbivorous species and fish feeding is prohibited.
Installing curb inlet baskets to reduce pollution
An environmental consulting firm led this project where seven debris and pollutant screening baskets were installed in the storm drain system by Kā‘anapali Operators Assoc. Ongoing monitoring is taking place to test maintenance time and volume of debris removal to inform expanding installations to other coastal areas.
Rain gardens at beach parks
A rain garden is an intentionally created flat bottom depression planted with natives positioned to receive, treat and infiltrate runoff from impervious surfaces, in this case, shower and parking lot runoff. This garden provides a visible example of a low impact design practice that homeowners or business can implement with minimal expense and time.
Reef Friendly Landscape Management Plan
In southern Kā‘anapali, Landscape designers Ki Concepts worked with 7 resort properties to tighten chemical applications in landscaping to reduce runoff to coastal ecosystems through site specific management plans. Participating properties included the Hyatt, Westin Maui Spa & Resort, KOA, the Marriot Maui Ocean Club, Whalers Village, SGS Landscaping (who works with Westin KOR and Honua Kai) and Aston Maui Kā‘anapali Villas. In addition to analysis for each property, another outcome is a checklist to guide other properties towards ocean friendly practices.
West Maui Wildfire Mitigation Planning
Hawaii Wildfire Management organization has created a plan in cooperation with landowners and fire management professionals to address preparation for a rapid response following a fire to reduce mass erosion on newly burned land. In addition, they authored a Western Maui Community Wildfire Protection Plan which assesses fire risk by neighborhood, proposed measures for prevention, and makes the West Maui community eligible for federal grants if a fire does occur.
Constructed wetland analysis and design
Sediment Retention Retrofitting the Honokõwai Dam
A detailed analysis of the physical systems related to Honokōwai Dam is needed as a first step to understanding if retrofit measures that would reduce the movement of fine particles into the ocean following rainfall are viable. A team of professors and graduate students from the University of Hawaii headed up this study, which included watershed and sediment modeling.
Agricultural Road Improvement
