The 2015 conference built on discussions and interactions from a previous conference hosted by the four Island Institutes (WRRC, WERI, PRWRERI, and VI-WRRI) in Honolulu, Hawaii from November 14–16, 2011. The discussions strengthened the synergism between researchers working in the State of Hawaii, U.S. affiliated islands in the Pacific, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico, and developed solutions and ideas on water resources issues that are particularly relevant to tropical islands.
Video Message from U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono[/vc_column_text][gem_video width=”720″ height=”405″ video_src=”https://www.wrrc.hawaii.edu/video/hironovid.mp4″ image_src=”1064″][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]
Earl Greene, Chief, Office of External Research, USGS
Jorge Rivera-Santos, Director, Puerto Rico Water Resources and Environmental Research Institute
Kristin Wilson Grimes, Director, Virgin Islands Water Resources Research Institute
Darren T. Lerner, Interim Director, WRRC; Director, Sea Grant College Program, UHM
[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]*Slides are posted with author’s consent. Please directly contact authors of these presentations or others not listed if you are interested in more information.*
SESSION A • Sustainability Groundwater and Watershed Studies, Part 1 — Session Chair: Henry Smith
A03 Paula A. Cutillo. Determining Groundwater Sustainability—A Public-Trust Resource Perspective
SESSION C • Protection Strategies for Island Watersheds and Aquifers — Session Chair: Jorge Rivera-Santos
C03 Scot K. Izuka. Assessing Groundwater Availability in Hawai‘i’s Diverse Hydrogeologic Settings
SESSION D • Water Quality: Application of Techology and Adaptive Management — Session Chair: Roger Fujioka
SESSION E • Water Quality: Surface Water — Session Chair: Roger Fujioka
SESSION G • Climate Change and Variability and Impacts on Water Resources, Part 1 — Session Chair: Stephen Anthony
G03 Md. Rashed Chowdhury. Water, Climate, and Local Governance: Experience from the Pacific Islands
Lunch/Speaker: Senator Thomas Ada (invited)
SESSION H • Coastal Groundwater — Session Chair: Shahram Khosrowpanah
H02 Isaac Santos (invited). Tropical Islands as Submarine Groundwater Discharge Hotspots
SESSION J • Sustainability Groundwater and Watershed Studies, Part 2 — Session Chair: Henry Smith
SESSION K • Sustainability Groundwater and Watershed Studies, Part 3 — Session Chair: Earl Greene
SESSION L • Sustainability Integrated Programs—SessionChair: EarlGreene
SESSION M • Managing Demands and Supplies, Including Water Conservation and Reuse — Session Chair: Shahram Khosrowpanah
M03 Daniele Spirandelli, Michael Roberts, Kimberly Burnett, and Christopher Wada. Toward an Understanding of Residential Water Conservation Behaviors on Oahu[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]
*These presentations are posted with author’s consent. Please directly contact respective authors or others not listed if you are interested in more information.*
William H. McDowell. Spatial and Temporal Variability in Urban Water Quality on a Tropical Island.
Dayananda Vithanage. Impacts from Current Wastewater Management on Water Resources of Small Islands.
P. Moravcik, K. Fernandes, B.J. Card, T.-C. Lee and C.C.K. Liu.Survey and Modeling Analysis of HDOT MS4 Highway Storm Runoff on Oahu, Hawaii.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]
Presentation Abstracts
Full Program
Flyer
Brochure
Island communities are faced with a unique set of environmental and cultural issues pertinent to the management of water resources. Fresh water resources are under threat on many islands as the result of both overuse and contamination. Ocean waters in these tropical regions are ecologically sensitive and valuable, and similarly threatened by pollution. On some islands, sea level rise is degrading groundwater resources.
Most island communities are heavily dependent on importing essentials, such as food, fuel, and manufactured goods to satisfy their resource needs. In addition, population growth is putting increasing pressure on water resources. It is imperative that these threats to the welfare of island communities be addressed by sound scientific research before they reach crisis proportions. To prevent water shortages, sustainable management and protection of island water supplies is even more critical than it is on the continents, as island communities have no water resources for importation. Those tasked with resource protection and management need access to scientifically sound research that is specific to island environments.
The above issues are universal to island states, yet researchers in these far-flung and isolated places seldom have the opportunity to share knowledge and experience with one another, as they mainly work in isolation. The great distance that separates most island states from the larger centers of academia and government means that there is a less frequent exchange between researchers on the islands and their colleagues in the major population centers. Enhanced communication and collaboration between island researchers can provide a vital, synergistic link, which will strengthen all research programs. It is a truism that the greatest scientific advances usually result from a collaboration of researchers working together.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”300px”][/vc_column][/vc_row]