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Hawaii Volcanism: Impact on the Environment |
| Fewer than one hundred people have been killed by eruptions in the recorded history of Hawaii, and only one death has occurred in the 20th Century. However, the lava flows are highly destructive to populated and cultivated areas. This set depicts the negative impact of lava flows on communities, vegetation, marine life, roads, and coastlines. It also illustrates the benefits of Hawaii volcanism such as the production of geothermal power, increase in land area of the islands, and opportunities of viewing and studying volcanism in relative safety. |
Aerial View of Lava Flow in Royal Gardens | |
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Aerial Views
of Lava Flows In 1983, activity began along Kilauea's east rift. This view shows a pahoehoe lava flow in Royal Gardens subdivision (December 16, 1986). Some of the remaining vegetation has turned brown from the heat. Note the truck engulfed in the flow (upper center). Numerous house lots were covered in the Royal Gardens and Kalapana Gardens subdivisions; 28 homes were destroyed. Photo credit: J.D. Griggs, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, U.S. Geological Survey |
Lava Crossing Highway | |
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Aerial Views of Lava Flows Lava crossing Highway 130 in Kalapana (February 21, 1990). Note the large flow in the background that enters the sea and the island (kipuka) of vegetation between the two flows. The vegetation to the right of the road is growing on an earlier flow that is partially exposed. Photo credit: J.D. Griggs, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, U.S. Geological Survey |
House Consumed in Lava Flow | |
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Aerial Views of Lava Flows A house is consumed by lava flow moving into Kalapana Gardens (May 3, 1990). Highway 130 was crossed by a flow during May. By the end of May, most of the homes and remaining buildings in Kalapana Gardens had been destroyed. Photo credit: D. Weisel, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, U.S. Geological Survey |
Lava Fountains along Rift | |
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Aerial Views of Lava Flows Oblique aerial view taken during the Pauahi eruption in Kilauea's east rift (November 16, 1979). Lava fountains of 5-10 m at their peak were formed along a 100 m rift. Fountaining along the rift lasted for 22 hours, producing approximately 700,000 m3 of viscous lava that covered surrounding vegetation. Deflation of the summit of Kilauea, inflation of the eruption site, and a local earthquake swarm occurred prior to this east rift eruption. Chain of Craters Road was cut by small flow lobes. Photo credit: R. Decker, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, U.S. Geological Survey |
Cars trapped in Lava Flow | |
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Effects on Structures Two automobiles are all that remain after this section of Royal Gardens subdivision was overrun by lava (October 7, 1987). During October the footpath from a road into the housing area was covered, cutting residents off from the few homes that remained. Photo credit: J.D. Griggs, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, U.S. Geological Survey |
Attempts to Block Lava Flow | |
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Effects on Structures Futile attempt to save the National Park Service Wahaula Visitor Center by spraying water on the structure and on the lava flow (June 21, 1989). Lava from two flow fronts merged and approached the Center. Note the smooth ropy appearance of the pahoehoe flow. Photo credit: J.D. Griggs, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, U.S. Geological Survey |
Lava Flow Consumes Wahaula Vistor Center | |
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Effects on Structures The Wahaula Visitor Center was engulfed by a lava flow and burst into flames (June 22, 1989). Note flow at left in photo. A park maintenance area was also destroyed along with other structures near the coast. After flowing past the site of the Visitor Center, the lava began entering the sea at two new locations: Kapapau Point and Poupou Point. Photo credit: J.D. Griggs, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, U.S. Geological Survey |
Lava Flow Traverses Highway | |
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Effect on Infrastructures The Kilauea east rift eruption which began in January of 1983 entered its fifth major phase on June 29, 1983. An aa flow (rough, clinker-like lava) advanced southeast over earlier flows. The flow front entered the northwest part of the Royal Gardens subdivision on July 1, advancing at a rate of up to 165 m/hr. It traversed the subdivision, burned and crushed seven houses, and cut off four others from the road. Here scientists observe the advance of the aa flow on July 2. This phase came to an end the next day. Photo credit: J.D. Griggs, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, U.S. Geological Survey |
Earthquake Crack Severs Road | |
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Effect on Infrastructures Another hazard associated with Hawaiian volcanism is the damage from accompanying earthquakes. In 1955, earthquakes shook the east rift area of Kilauea. Cracks such as this one (severing a road) opened and lava began erupting from vents along the rift. Eventually the cracks extended through the village of Kapoho. Lava from the vents destroyed the western edge of the village but the rest of the village survived another five years. Photo credit: University of Colorado |
Attempts to Divert Flow | |
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Effect
on Infrastructures Lava fountains are visible in the background as a bulldozer works to construct a lava dike (January, 1960). The purpose is to divert the flow and save the village of Kapoho. In spite of these efforts, Kapoho, which had been partially spared in the 1955 eruption, was entirely destroyed. Only charred boards and a patch of scorched metal poking out of a jumble of lava marked the village site. Six km2 of land were covered and two km2 of new land were added to the Big Island before the flows ceased on February 19, 1960. Fortunately the flows moved so slowly that no lives were lost. Photo credit: Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, U.S. Geological Survey |
Lava Flow Burns Power Line Pole | |
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Effect
on Infrastructures On March 25, 1984, with little instrumental warning, activity began at Hawaii's second most active volcano, Mauna Loa. Lava flows advanced nearly 27 km in about 5 days stopping within 6 km of the outskirts of Hilo. Here an aa flow is burning a power line pole on April 5. Haze from the eruption plume reached as far as Guam 6,300 km west south west of Mauna Loa. Photo credit: P.W. Lipman, U.S. Geological Survey |
Cinders Strip Leaves from Papaya Trees | |
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Effect on Vegetation Pumice and cinder fragments from the main vent near Kapoho eventually stripped the leaves from these papaya trees (January, 1960). Ash improves the water-retaining properties of the soil, and vegetation that is not destroyed recovers quickly. Photo credit: Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, U.S. Geological Survey |
Lava Flow Consumes Vegetation | |
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Effect on
Vegetation A pahoehoe flow is shown advancing from Mauna Ulu (January 25, 1974). Mauna Ulu is a part of Kilauea's east rift zone that is closer to the Kilauea summit crater than subsequent eruption sites, including Pu'u O'o. Grass and bushes are being set on fire by the pahoehoe flow. Note the trees left standing in the flow. Photo credit: R.T. Holcomb, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, U.S. Geological Survey |
Lava Tree Molds | |
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Effect on Vegetation Lava tree molds are formed as fluid lava surrounds the trunk of a tree and cools, resulting in a cylinder of solidified lava encasing the tree. The level of the flow surface subsides during later stages of the eruption as the supply of lava from the vent decreases. The cylinder of lava that solidified around the tree trunk is left standing above the flow top. The mushroom-shaped caps indicate the former height of the flow. Some lava trees are 2-3 m in height. This photo shows lava tree molds with active spatter from the Kilauea east rift visible in the background (January 7, 1983). Photo credit: J.D. Griggs, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, U.S. Geological Survey |
Vegetation Begins to Grow on Cold Flow | |
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Effect on Vegetation Pahoehoe flow and vegetation along Hilina Pali Road (January 6, 1979). The partially solidified lava slabs are tilted up and pushed together. They have formed pockets where grass and other types of vegetation have begun to take root. Photo credit: University of Colorado |
Lava Flow Builds a Coastal Bench | |
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Effect on Coastal Areas Lava cascades into the ocean near Wahaula Heiau on July 6, 1989, after destroying the Wahaula Visitor Center, and flowing past the Heiau (a several hundred year old ceremonial site). This flow, named Kailiili, built a seacoast bench that was about 700 m long. Photo credit: J.D. Griggs, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, U.S. Geological Survey |
Marine Life Killed by Hot Flows Entering Sea | |
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Effect on
Coastal Areas Marine life killed by the hot water from lava flows entering the sea near Kaimu Beach, Kalapana (July, 1990). By the end of July, lava was entering the ocean at several points. Photo credit: J.D. Griggs, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, U.S. Geological Survey |
Lava Flow Extends Coastline | |
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Effect on Coastal Areas Lava from Kupaianaha pond enters the ocean near Kalapana and extends the coastline (December 27, 1989). Intermittent littoral (sea shore) explosions added spatter to a large littoral cone on top of the sea cliff. Lava flows temporarily destroy land. However, when these same flows reach the sea, new land is added to the total area of the island. Photo credit: J.D. Griggs, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, U.S. Geological Survey |
Geothermal Power in Hawaii | |
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Benefits One of the benefits of volcanism is geothermal power. The geothermal power plant on Kilauea's east rift zone is shown here. Pu'u O'o is up-rift from this plant. (This photo was taken on December 29, 1989.) The drilling has encountered some of the hottest underground fluids yet found. At a depth of 1,969 m the hole has a temperature of 350 degrees C. Increased development of Hawaii's geothermal resources is under consideration. Photo credit: Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, U.S. Geological Survey |
Observation of Spectacular Lava Fountain | |
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Benefits Another benefit is the opportunity for safe observation of some of the most spectacular of nature's processes. The Kilauea Iki eruption in 1959 produced spectacular 575 m fountains. On November 14, 1959, the eruption began with a swarm of 2,500 microearthquakes and a bright orange light over the Kilauea Iki crater. Here a car is stopped on the Kilauea Iki rim road during the fountaining and ash fall. Red hot liquid lava is being transformed to solid black ash fragments upon rapid cooling. Note the ash deposits on the vegetation. At its peak, the lava outpouring reached a rate of 450,000 m3 an hour. Photo credit: J.P. Eaton, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, U.S. Geological Survey |