Following the Ka Loko dam break on Kauai on March 14, 2006, the U.S. Geological Survey´s Pacific Islands Water Science Center installed water-level monitoring stations on four Kauai reservoirs. Each of the new stations transmits water-level data in real-time to an online site (http://hi.water.usgs.gov/). The real-time data can be readily accessed by civil defense personnel, first responders, decision makers and the general public. Monitoring stations are being installed on reservoirs selected by State and County authorities.
The USGS worked quickly to install the four new stations in response to the flooding events on Kauai and continuing heavy rainfall.
The four reservoir monitoring stations are:
- Ka Loko Reservoir near Kilauea
- Puu Ka Ele Reservoir near Kilauea
- Waita Reservoir at Koloa
- Alexander Reservoir near Kalaheo
The USGS support for monitoring the water levels in these reservoirs is being done in response to a request from the Hawaii State Department of Land and Natural Resources and the work is being carried out in cooperation with this state agency.
The USGS Pacific Islands Water Science Center also records real-time rainfall, and this information is also available online (http://hi.water.usgs.gov/). Ten feet of rainfall was recorded at Mount Waialeale on Kauai in the last 31 days (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/hi/nwis/uv/?site_no=220427159300201&PARAmeter_cd=00045).