|
Title: The Impacts of El Niño on Groundwater in the Hawaiian Islands: A Hydrologic and Social
Review Author: Kelsey Copes-Gerbitz Abstract: This paper explores the implications of El Niño influenced
drought on groundwater resources in the Hawaiian Islands. Living on an
incredibly isolated land mass, the residents of the Hawaiian Islands are
precariously dependent upon the water within the islands for survival. Any
potential threat to the long term sustainability of these groundwater
resources should not be ignored because they are the primary resource from
which water is utilized. Historically, El Niño events have caused a drop in
precipitation levels on the islands, especially during the winter season in
which Hawaii receives most of its rainfall. These El Niño influenced drought
conditions have had major social, economic, and environmental impacts
throughout the state. Although a correlation analysis between that a
groundwater well on the island of Oahu and average yearly Multivariate El
Niño Index values was inconclusive, the negative impacts of El Niño
influenced drought are both historically and currently documented. These
extensive impacts are a cause for alarm, especially in the face of longer and
more intense El Niño events associated with climate change patterns. Key References: Giambelluca, T, Ridgley, M, & Nullet, M. (1996). Water balance, climate change and
land-use planning in the Pearl Harbor basin, Hawaii. Water Resources
Development, 12(4), 515-530. Rotzoll, K, & El-Kadi, A. (2007). Estimating hydraulic conductivity from
specific capacity for Hawaii aquifers. Hydrogeology Journal, 16,
969-979. Whittier, R., Rotzoll, K., Dhal, S., El-Kadi, A., Ray, C., Chang, D. Groundwater source assessment
in the state of Hawaii, USA: methodology and example application. (2009). Hydrogeology
Journal, Retrieved from http://www.springerlink.com doi:
10.1007/s10040-009-0548-6. Ziegler, A. (2002). Hawaiian natural history, ecology, and evolution.
Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaii Press. Return to Water
Resources Projects page. |
|
|
Date:
May 2010
Student: kcopesge@willamette.edu
ENVR 327: Water Resources
Instructor: Dr. Karen Arabas
http://www.willamette.edu/~karabas/courses/envr327w