1. PROJECT TITLE AND GRANT FUNDING REQUEST

Project Title: Controlling Water contaminants at the Source by Integrated Technologies, Kaiaka-Waialua Watershed, North Shores

Grant Funds Requested: $ _153,800__ (200,000 Maximum Allowed).

Non-federal Matching and In-Kind Contributions: $ _154,200_

Total Project Cost: $___308,000________

2. PROJECT PURPOSE

Kaiaka bay and Waialua bay, two adjacent waterbodies on the North of Oahu have been classified by the Department of Health as water quali ty limited segments. Data by the Department of Health mon ito ring program showed levels of total phosphorus, nitrate, nitrite nitrogen, chlorophyll a, and turbidi ty exceeding the maximum allowable levels. Sediment loads from agricultural lands and effluent discharged from household cesspools are two of the major sources of pollution. Although cesspool effluent is discharged into the groundwater, however, it seeps into surface waterbodies and eventually reaches the coastal waters. Tourism is a major economic component of this part of the island of Oahu . Thus, protecting the water quali ty of these coastal areas is vital to the prosperi ty of the tourism industry.

Over the past two decades, agriculture, second main industry of the area, has been in a prolonged state of decline and system production changes. Thousands of acres of sugarcane and pineapple have been taken out of production that resulted in substantial changes in land use. The absence of the sugar and pineapple industries left thousands acres of lands converted into silviculture, diversified agriculture, housing or reminded idle.

Sediment losses are generated from cropped and fallow zones of the North Shores as a result of an intensive agricultural system that includes a crop/fallow cropping combination. In the absence of soil cover, soil erosion begins. Crop residues are vital to conservation of soil and water. Cover crops are traditionally defined as crops grown to cover the ground to protect the soil from erosion and from loss of plant nutrient through leaching and runoff. In addition, cover crops can protect water quality by reducing losses of nutrients, pesticides, or sediment from agricultural fields. Cover crops transpire more water than fallow field and volunteer vegetation and, therefore, transpire more water, allow more rainfall to infiltrate into the soil, and decrease runoff and potential erosion to a greater extent. Cover crops protect aggregates from the impacts of rain drops, reducing soil detachment and aggregate breakdown. Research has shown that a 20 and 40 percent residue cover reduce erosion by 50 and 75%, respectively.

Using compost in highly erosive areas can decrease erosion and allow quicker establishment of vegetation. Erosion control using compost has been demonstrated in several areas, i.e., orchards erosion control, roadside erosion control. Erosion professionals have evaluated municipal mulch and various types of compost under field situations as surface amendment material for erosion control and revegetation of disturbed or degraded soils. A municipal mulch demonstration conducted by University of California Cooperative Extension , Ventura County indicates soil erosion, soil compaction and snail activity are significantly reduced with the use of yard trimmings in commercial citrus orchards. The mulch applied at least 3 inches deep in the orchard rows also provides weed suppression, soil moisture conservation, water infiltration, soil fertility, improved soil structure, and moderation of soil temperatures.

The planned work demonstrates efforts of load reductions to receiving waters and or water quali ty improvement. The main goal of the present demonstration project is to demonstrate and implement erosion control practices as an efficient tool to help manage erosion throughout Kaiaka-Waialua watershed, thereby reducing sediment and pollutant loads mainly phosphorus and nitrogen into the surface and ground water resources, and consequently improving water quali ty of the coastal area. The proposed work builds on the efforts of the demonstration project conducted by John McHugh in the same area. In addition to demonstrating the positive effect of cover crops on erosion control, this project will demonstrate how much erosion will be reduced through the use of cover crops. It will also demonstrate the quantification of the improvement of the quali ty of the surface and ground waters. The surface waters affected by this project are Kiikii Stream (with its tributaries Poamoho and Kaukonahua streams), Paukauila Stream (that includes Helemano and Opaeula streams) and Kaiaka Bay . Specific goals of this demonstration project are as follows:

• Help the North Shores community optimizes its production systems, protect their surface and ground water resources, and protect coastal water quality by minimizing losses of rich top soil.

• Provide the North Shores community with best management practices on the proper use and installation of various erosion and sediment control practices and evaluate their effectiveness under local conditions.

• Increase the communi ty awareness through hands on experience to high school students form Waialua High School .

• Train high school students in different best management practices and environmental mon ito ring procedures.

• Demonstrate the integrated approach of dealing with erosion and sediment control technology transfer and education to local land users in order to alleviate erosion and sedimentation problems throughout the state.

• Demonstrate the effect of two cover crops (a legume and a grass) and compost to reduce surface erosion and water quality degradation.

This demonstration project has the following outcome:

• Demonstrate the effectiveness of the cover crops and compost in minimizing soil surface erosion.

• Demonstrate the effectiveness of cover crops and compost in reducing the levels of sediment and nutrients (Phosphorus and Nitrogen) in surface and ground water.

• Show the growers and the crop managers the feasibility of the proposed management practices under local conditions.

• Hands on experience for interested parties, i.e., growers and crop managers.

• Establishment of working relationship among different stakeholders, i.e., growers, agricultural industry and citizens.

• Promote the multidimensional (industry-community-university-regulatory) aspect of any solution to erosion control and water resources contamination.

3. PROJECT SITE DESCRIPTION

This demonstration project will be located in the Kaiaka-Waialua Bay Water Quali ty Limited Segment. This area receives water from the Kiikii and Paukauila streams. We have the choice of using two sites in this area. The first site called Kemoo area is located within the proper ty of Pioneer HI-Bred International, INC. (see map 1A and 1B). The Second location is located on Kamehameha school properties (see map 2 A and 2B). The surface waters affected by these demonstration areas are i) Kiikii Stream and its tributaries Poamoho and Kaukonahua Streams; ii) Paukauila Stream and its tributaries Helemano and Opaeula Streams.

We are specifically interested in the very sloppy areas of these two sites. Both of these sites have advantages that we are evaluating. The Pioneer site is closer to the high school thus is more convenient to the students. Both potential cooperators are very favorable to our work and welling to support the project.

4. WORK PLAN

5. MONITORING ACTIVITIES

Implementation of proper cover crop management reduces soil erosion, and water pollution. This system should improve crop production and improve surface and ground water quali ty . Any mon ito ring activi ty should be in included in the mon ito ring plan that will be submitted to the State for its review and approval. The following is a description of the mon ito ring activities:

• This demonstration project will be conducted in a commercial field in the North Shores .

• An irrigation system will be installed at the demonstration site to irrigated the experiment during the dry season to help its establishment

• The four erosion management treatments that will be used following the major crop are: i) legume cover crop (i.e., white clover); ii) grass cover crop (i.e., rye or barely); iii) fallow practices, commonly used by farmers; iv) compost cover

• Each erosion treatment will be replicated three times to account for spatial variability and experimental errors.

• Individual plots will be large enough (i.e., 60 by 150 feet) to allowed the use of commercial-size farm equipment.

• Develop a mon ito ring plan that will be submitted for approval before its implementation

• Monitor the erosion rates at each plot

• Monitor sediment loads in surface water at each plot

• Complete weather parameters will be monitored including rainfall intensity and amount.

• Runoff rates and soil water content through out the soil profile will be monitor at each of the four treatments

• Monitor ground water quality using vacuum extraction system, suction lysimeters, at each of the four treatments

• Monitor the surface water quality generated from each treatment

• Monitoring N and P levels before in the middle and at the end of the experiment .

Rainfall will be monitoring with the weather station; this will quantify both rainfall intensity and quantity. Rainfall intensity is the amount of rainfall received per unit time; however, rainfall amount is the total rainfall received during a day. These data are essential to establish the relationship between rain intensity and amount in one hand and the erosion rates in the other hand. In addition, to the automatic rain gage connected to the weather station, addition manual rain gages will be placed through out the field to account for rainfall spatial variability. In addition to rainfall data, weather station collects net radiation, wind speed, wind direction and relative humidity at throughout the day at a pre-set frequency to calculate potential evapotranspiration.

Soil solution sampling will be conducted within and below the rootzone at one location per treatment. These devices will be sample several times through out the study period to quantify the amount of pollutant and nutrient losses under each treatment. Samples from these soil solutions will be analyzed to determine the fate of nutrients and pollutants. Soil water content will be monitored in real-time within and below the rootzone using a self-powered data logger at a 30 minute frequency to determine crop water use, infiltration rates and water movement below the rootzone. Specialized flow meters will be used to determine the surface water flow into and from the treatment plots. Sediment loads will be quantified. Soil samples will be collected before starting the experiment, during the first month of the start of the experiment, in the middle and at the end of the experiment in all the treatments. Soil sample analysis will be contacted to determine N and P levels.

6. PUBLIC INFORMATION, EDUCATION AND PARTICIPATION

As a demonstration project, information dissemination is vital; thus, several methods will be used to accelerate the transfer and adoption of recommended technologies by land users and clientele agency. This project will built on the current cover crop project conduct by John McHugh ; thus, it will benefit of the existing mailing list and contacts. In addition, one of the investigators in this project, Dr. Evensen, is an extension specialist thus he is in continuous contact with different stake holders. Information and advertisement of our activities will be communicated to different users through emails, website and surface mail. Drafts of any distributed material will be submitted to DOH for their approval before making them available to the public. The distributed material will cover: i) introduction of cover crops and their benefits; ii) present guidelines on how to implement these practices under the local conditions. As it is hard to predict the number of people that will participate in this project, we will involve several active groups to whom we will distribute all field day notices, extension bulletins and outputs of this project. These groups include the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Cooperative Extension Service, Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education, Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, Kaiaka-Waialua communi ty boards and any other farm groups that might be interested in the work we are doing. To help the transfer of technology and the information gathered by the project, we will stress during our public meetings and field days: i) our willingness to assist farmers in adopting these practices; ii) give workshops and presentations even beyond the life of this project. The information that will be used in the fact sheets, website and workshops will result from compilation and analysis of data collected from the field. This database will be made available to interested parties.

The participation of students from the Waialua high is major a component of this project. Their time will be spent in helping with the field experiment. The participating students will be trained on: 1) how to select the right site for a scientific experimental site; 2) how to prepare the site before planting; 3) how to install an irrigation system; 4) how to maintain good technical notes on their activities; 5) conducting scientific experiments on the field; 6) collecting data in the field; 7) soil sampling procedure; 8) surface, subsurface water measurements; 9) presenting scientific data in science fairs and scientific meetings; 10) hands on experience on supervising other people; 11) participating in workshops; 12) installing and maintaining scientific equipment in the field.

Other activities related to this part of the project are detailed as follows:

• Holding field day at the demonstration sites

• Providing information on the applicability of recommended practices in land-use fact sheets.

• Disseminating demonstrate information in peer reviewed manuscript published in well reputable scientific journals.

• Conducting workshops for interested parties, i.e., growers, crop managers and extension personnel.

• Ensure wide spread of the information through a webpage that be constructed using state-of-art software technologies.

• This demonstration is has a multi-stakeholder dimension were interested parties come together for a common cause, minimizing soil and erosion and protection water resources from pollution contamination; in that it involves growers, high school students, consultant, university faculty and regulating agency in this process.

• Field day will target the public in general special invitation will be given to growers, crop managers, consultants, state and federal agencies.

• Factsheet will be written in a simplified format targeting growers and agriculture industry.

• Hawaii State Fair displays will be used to promote the study, its results and get people interested in learning more about the process

• Science Fair and Projects, students participating in this demonstration project will be presenting posters in the science fair.

• Results of the demonstration project will be presented in scientific meetings; these results will be also used to produce scientific publication.

7. Cooperation and Coordination

This project capitalizes on considerable and more comprehensive, although informal, nutrient management efforts that started with several farmers and ranchers from the North Shore with technical assistance from the USDA-Natural Resources and Conservation Services (NRCS). The project will strength the cooperation that already exists between Waialua High School and Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc by mentoring some of these students in our field work. Students will benefit from this experience by presenting the results of their experience in the Science Fair.

Listing of Contributing organizations /Agencies:

•  Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., Parent Seed Division

Contact Person: Mr. Richard McCormack, Plant Manager

Role/Contribution to Project: Technical Advisor and Farmer Participant Coordinator

Phone: (808) 637-0100

Facsimile: (808) 637-1611

Email: Richard.McCormack@pioneer.com

•  State of Hawaii , Department of Education, Waialua High School

Contact Person: Mrs. Aloha Coleman, Principal

Role/Contribution to Project: Student Program Development and Coordination

Phone: (808) 637 – 8200; Email: Aloha_Coleman@Notes.K12.HI.US

•  United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation Service

Tropical Natural Resource Technology Consortium

Dr. Michael Robotham

1910 East-West Road

Honolulu , HI 96822

Phone: (808) 956-7530; Email: Michael.Robotham@hi.usda.gov

•  Mrs. Aloha Coleman, Principal

Waialua High & Intermediate School

67-160 Farrington Highway

Waialua , Hawaii 96791

This project builds on several projects that either in progress of already completed. It complements the cover cropping for reducing soil nitrogen following seed corn production in the Kaiaka-Waialua watershed. It will also complement a Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) project on the user of cover cropping to reduce root knot nematode infestation.

Project Manager: Ali Fares, PhD (University of Florida, 1996).

Title: Assistant Professor of Watershed Hydrology, Natural Resources and Environmental Management Department, University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Academic Degrees: Ph.D., University of Florida , Soil & Water Science Department (Hydrological Science Cluster) Ph.D., Hydrological Science, 1996.

Professional Appointments:

• August 2002 – Present. Assistant Professor of Watershed Hydrology and Tropical Soil, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management. College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR), University of Hawai`i at Manoa.

• January 1996-1999 & (2001 – 2002) Research Associate, Citrus Research and Education Center of the University of Florida, Lake Alfred, FL 33850.

• January - December, 2000. Research Scientist, Sentek, Pty, Ltd. Stepney, Adelaide , South Australia , Australia .

Research Expertise and Interests:

My current research program addresses watershed management using a combination of experimental, theoretical and numerical modeling across a wide range of temporal and spatial scales. Ultimate objective of my research program is to promote sound watershed management practices and provide a solid foundation on which to build sustainable watershed and water resources management in Hawaii . Specific areas include:

• Evaluate current water flow and nutrient management practices.

• Optimizing irrigation and fertilizer applications using state of the art soil water and solute monitoring techniques, i.e. capacitance probes, soil solution sampling devices.

• Modeling to develop and test alternative nitrogen and water management practices for land usages. Basic field research on water flow, solute transport and limitation of soil moisture monitoring devices.

• Spatial and temporal variability of soil physical and soil chemical properties in field soils. This involves applying classical statistics and geo-statistical techniques to describe the natural variation of soil as well as understanding the effect of spatial variability of soil parameters on transport.

Experience and contribution with Similar Projects

I worked on the following grant funded projects:

• Evaluating low cost irrigation management devices to reduce water use. Southwest Florida Water management District. 2001. Fares, A., L.R. Parsons, T.A. Wheaton and K.T. Morgan. (Project Budget $85,000).

• Effective rainfall for micro-irrigation citrus on ridge soils. Southwest Florida Water management District, Fiscal years 2000-2002. L.R. Parsons, T.A. Wheaton and K.T. Morgan.

• Alva, A. K.  Best management practice for fertilization of mature citrus trees on the ridge area to minimize nitrate contamination of groundwater.  Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.  July 1996 to June 1999.  $189,451.

• Alva, A. K. (PI), D. M. Eissenstat, J.P. Syvertsen. L. R. Parsons, T. A. Wheaton, and D. P. H. Tucker (Cooperators).  Towards improving the efficacy of nutrients and water use under fertigation for young citrus trees in deep ridge soils.  Citrus Production Research Advisory Council, Fla. Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Tallahassee , FL.   July 1993 to June 1998.  $244,092.

Consultant and Liaison:

Dr. John McHugh , Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, C hairman, HFBF Environmental Stewardship Committee

2343 Rose St. , Honolulu , HI 96819

Phone: (808) 848-2074 Facsimile: (808) 848-1921

Educational Background: Ph.D., Entomology, 1994, Purdue University .

Relevant Work History (positions agency, job description, and time period.):

Research Associate, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1980 – 1982;

Manager, Sumida Farm, Inc. (watercress), 1982 – 1991;

Graduate Research Assistant, Purdue University , 1991 – 1993; Graduate Research Fellow, Purdue University , 1994;

Assistant Horticulturist, Hawaiian Sugar Planters Association, 1994 – 1996;

Entomologist and Horticulturist, Larry Jeff's Farms, Inc./Waikele Farms, Inc., 1996 – 1998;

Co-owner of Crop Care Hawaii , LLC , a crop consulting and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Company, 1998 – present;

Experience with Similar Projects:

Western Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE), Cover Cropping for Plant Parasitic Nematode Management in Tomato Cropping Systems in Hawaii, 2000 – present.

Cover Cropping for Reducing Soil Nitrogen Following Seed Corn Production in the Kaiaka-Waialua Watershed, Oahu .

Role/Contribution to Project:

Liaison with growers, Kailua High school , Kamehameha School and industry Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. educational dissemination.

Co-Principal Investigation: Carl I. Evensen, Associate Specialist

Ph.D. Agronomy & Soil Science, University of Hawaii at Manoa 1989.

Professional Interests

Provide statewide leadership for extension programs in natural resource management and environmental quality. Specific responsibilities include development and implementation of programs for public education and cooperative extension staff development on natural resources, pollution control, water quality, and watershed management.

Research/Extension Projects:

• Water Quality Coordination, Planning, and Staff Development in Hawaii . Funding: National Extension Service.

• Water Quality and Environmental Education. Evensen C, M. Robotham and P. Macomber.

• Addressing Water Quality and Water Quantity Issues Associated with the Use of Rain Water Catchment Systems.   Evensen C, T. Macomber T, S. El-Swaify and C. Ferguson.

• Farm*A*Syst/Home*A*Syst Development for Hawaii .   Evensen C.

• Land Application of Livestock Manure in Hawaii and the American Pacific. Evensen C I, Yost R S, Hue N V, Fukumoto G K, DuPonte M W, Powley J S, Ching L Y, Kawabata A F.

Role/Contribution to Project: As specialist (extension faculty), Dr. Evensen will help the principal investigator coordinating information dissemination (factsheet) and organizing field days.

Co-Principal Investigation: Dr. Aly I. El-Kadi, Associate Professor of Ground Water Hydrology,

Department of Geology and Geophysics

Ph.D. University of Indiana

Research Projects:

•  Assessment of Nitrate Contamination in the Pearl Harbor Aquifer
  Helium as Environmental Tracer

•  Nitrogen and Microbial Contamination by Cesspool Systems
  Laboratory, Field, and Modeling of Bioremediation under Tidal Conditions.

Role/Contribution to Project: Dr. El-Kadi will help the principal investigator coordinating demonstrating the impact of different treatments on ground water quality, in information dissemination and organizing field days.

Co-Principal Investigation: Dr. S.A. , EL-SWAIFY

His recent research has focused on soil erosion by water, including predictive factors, processes, and biological alternatives for effective conservation, as well as assessment and control of sediment and nutrient-based nonpoint source pollution of surface and groundwater.

Dr. El-Swaify will serve as a co-investigator of the project and he will oversee and coordinate activities for the Hawaii component of the project, provide expertise based on his substantial experience with tropical soils and supervise one of the graduate students who will be awarded assistantships on the project.

Research Projects:

•  T-STAR Support: Effects of sediment loss and delivery on soil and water quality (1991-1995, approximately $126,000).

• Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources: Support of Forestry Extension Program in CTAHR (1998-2001, $65,000).

• From the Mountain to the Sea: Integrative Graduate Education and Research for Science-Based Management of Coastal Zone Ecosystems.

Role/Contribution to Project: Dr. El-Swaify Dr. El-Swaify will help the principle investigator design, implement and demonstrate the erosion treatment based on his nationally and internationally recognized and substantial experience with erosion and erosion control of tropical soils.
Signature Pages

Principle Investigator: ___________________________________________

Dr. Ali Fares, Assistant Professor,

Natural Resources and Environmental Management Department,

CTAHR, University of Hawai'i at Manoa.

1910 East-West Road , Honolulu , HI , 96822 .

Co-Principle Investigator:________________________________________

Dr. Carl I. Evensen, Associate Specialist

Natural Resources and Environmental Management Department,

CTAHR, University of Hawai'i at Manoa.

1910 East-West Road , Honolulu , HI , 96822 .

Co-Principle Investigator:________________________________________

Dr. Samir A El-Swaify, Chairman and Professor

Natural Resources and Environmental Management Department,

CTAHR, University of Hawai'i at Manoa.

1910 East-West Road , Honolulu , HI , 96822 .

Consultant and Liaison: ________________________________________

Dr. John McHugh , Environmental Stewardship Committee Chairman

Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation,

2343 Rose St. , Honolulu , HI 96819

Co-Principal Investigation:________________________________________

Dr. Aly I. El-Kadi, Associate Professor

Department of Geology and Geophysics

School of Ocean & Earth Science & Technology University of Hawai'I at Manoa.

1680 East-West Road , Honolulu , HI , 96822 .