Speakers: Dr. Kimberly Burnett and Dr. Christopher Wada
Abstract:
Improving the understanding of connections spanning from mountain to sea and integrating those connections into decision models have been increasingly recognized as key to effective coastal resource management. This presentation examines the relative importance of linkages between a forested watershed, a coastal groundwater aquifer, and a nearshore marine groundwater-dependent ecosystem (GDE) using a dynamic groundwater optimization framework. Data from the Kīholo aquifer on Hawai‘i Island were used to numerically illustrate optimal joint management strategies. We find that for a plausible range of watershed management costs, protecting part of the recharge capture area is always optimal. Results also suggested that optimal watershed management and groundwater pumping were most sensitive to changes in water demand growth and parameters that described nearshore salinity.