USGS Pacific Coral Reefs Website

Kaua‘i

Landsat satellite image from NASA

Geologically the oldest of the main eight Hawaiian Islands, the northernmost island of Kaua‘i has a total area of 142 sq km (552 sq mi). This island receives the most rainfall of the main eight Hawaiian Islands, thus giving its nickname of the Garden Isle. Kaua‘i is surrounded on all sides by a fringing reef, with a reef flat sometimes as wide as 1 km (0.6 mi). The reef is under the influence of high wave energy due to the island's geographic position.

In June 2005 the USGS began a partnership with the Hanalei Watershed Hui. In 1998 the Hanalei River was designated as an American Heritage River in order to foster cooperative, community-based efforts for the preservation of the surrounding environment. The Hanalei River Valley is home to numerous taro farms and water quality and useage for irrigation are of concern. In an effort to halt flooding, levees were built along portions of the river, thus leading to increased discharge into Hanalei Bay during storm events. We are working on identifying circulation patterns and a sediment budget for Hanalei Bay to help determine any effects to the coastal marine ecosystem including coral reefs.

• View click-and-zoom panorama of Hanalei Bay (1.8Mb)

• A reef camera captures images of sediment accumulation

• USGS Open File Report 2006-1085
  Coastal circulation and sediment dynamics in Hanalei Bay, Kaua‘i; Part I -- Measurements of waves, currents, temperature, salinity and turbidity; June – August, 2005

• USGS Open File Report 2006-1125
  Coastal Circulation and sediment dynamics in Hanalei Bay, Kaua‘i; Part II -- Tracking fluvial sedimentation; Isotope stratigraphy obtained in Summer 2005

• USGS Open File Report 2006-1147
  Coastal Circulation and sediment dynamics in Hanalei Bay, Kaua‘i; Part III -- Studies of sediment toxicity

• U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2008-1295
  Coastal circulation and sediment dynamics in Hanalei Bay, Kaua‘i; Part IV -- Measurements of waves, currents, temperature, salinity, and turbidity, June-September 2006

• USGS Open File Report 2007-1219
  Science and management in the Hanalei watershed; a trans-disciplinary approach. Proceedings from the Hanalei watershed workshop, 21-22 February 2007

• USGS Data Series 289
  Sedimentary properties of shallow marine cores collected in June and September 2006, Hanalei Bay, Kaua‘i, Hawai‘i

| Ni‘ihau | Kaua‘i | O‘ahu | Moloka‘i | Lāna‘i | Kaho‘olawe | Maui | Hawai‘i | Guam |

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