Field and Numerical Evaluation of Best Management Practices to Protect Water Resources in the Hanalei Watershed

Ali Fares, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, UH-CTAHR
Carl Evensen, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, UH-CTAHR
Aly I El-Kadi, Department of Geology and Geophysics, UH Mānoa

There are no specific recommendations for buffer zone widths in Hawaii. There is a need to develop such recommendation under Hawaii field conditions. Test different buffer zones using different plant species both experimentally and numerically.

Contact
Dr. Ali Fares (afares@hawaii.edu)
Phone: 808-956-6361
Fax: 808-956-6539

FUNDING has been provided to CTAHR for this research from the USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service Project HAW00129-06G.

OBJECTIVES

The goal of this research is to develop best management practices to protect surface and groundwater quality in the Hanalei watershed based on a combination of short-term field research and long-term performance using numerical modeling.

APPROACH

A field experiment with different buffer zone widths and land cover has been used combined with three land coverages [Invasive species (hoe bush), native species, and cleared as control]. Weather data and hydrological cycle components will be monitored in real-time. A companion watershed numerical modeling, using AnnAGNPS, will be conducted to help understand watershed processes as a result of different land use and management practice scenarios.

PROGRESS

New grant: None reported to date.

IMPACT

New grant: None reported to date.

Last Updated On 5/15/2007