Pacific Islands Water Science Center
Publications
Publications from the Pacific Islands Water Science Center are geographically grouped.
- State of Hawaiʻi
- Kauaʻi
- Oʻahu
- Molokaʻi
- Maui
- Kahoʻolawe
- Hawaiʻi Island
- Guam
- Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
- American Samoa
- Republic of the Marshall Islands
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Republic of Palau
- Diego Garcia
Search the USGS Pubs Warehouse for products written for the general public and scientists.
Groundwater conditions and trends, 2009–19, Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Groundwater is the primary source of municipal water for Saipan. Nearly all groundwater for the municipal water supply is withdrawn from a freshwater-lens system with a limited amount of freshwater that is susceptible to saltwater intrusion. The status of Saipan’s groundwater resources has not been thoroughly assessed since 2003. The U.S....
Mitchell, Jackson N.; Presley, Todd K.; Carruth, Robert L.
Numerical simulation of the effects of groundwater withdrawal and injection of high-salinity water on salinity and groundwater discharge, Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park, Hawaiʻi
Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park (KAHO) is located on the west coast of the island of Hawaiʻi and contains water resources exposed in fishponds, anchialine pools, and marine waters that are cultural resources and that provide habitat for threatened, endangered, and other culturally important native species. KAHO’s water resources are...
Oki, Delwyn S.
Volcanic Aquifers of Hawai‘i—Construction and calibration of numerical models for assessing groundwater availability on Kaua‘i, O‘ahu, and Maui
Steady-state numerical groundwater-flow models were constructed for the islands of Kaua‘i, O‘ahu, and Maui to enable quantification of the hydrologic consequences of withdrawals and other stresses that can place limits on groundwater availability. The volcanic aquifers of Hawai‘i supply nearly all drinking water for the islands’ residents,...
Izuka, Scot K.; Rotzoll, Kolja; Nishikawa, Tracy
Water-resource management monitoring needs, State of Hawai‘i
In cooperation with the State of Hawai‘i Commission on Water Resource Management and in collaboration with the University of Hawaiʻi Water Resources Research Center, the U.S. Geological Survey developed a water-resource monitoring program—a rainfall, surface-water, and groundwater data-collection program—that is required to meet State needs for...
Cheng, Chui Ling; Izuka, Scot K.; Kennedy, Joseph; Frazier, Abby G. ; Giambelluca, Thomas W.
Source-tracking approach for detecting and identifying sources of wastewater in waters of Hawaiʻi
Elevated concentrations of nutrients and the fecal-indicator bacteria enterococci are occasionally detected in Hawai‘i’s surface waters by the State of Hawai‘i Department of Health Clean Water Branch. Management efforts to improve the water quality of surface waters are complicated by the fact that nutrients and enterococci can originate from...
Johnson, Adam G.
Low-flow characteristics of streams from Wailua to Hanapēpē, Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi
The purpose of this study is to characterize streamflow availability under natural (unregulated) low-flow conditions for streams in southeast Kaua‘i, Hawai‘i. The nine main study-area basins, from north to south, include Wailua River, Hanamā‘ulu, Nāwiliwili, Pūʻali, Hulēʻia, Waikomo, Lāwaʻi, and Wahiawa Streams, and Hanapēpē River. The results of...
Cheng, Chui Ling
Local to landscape-level controls of water fluxes through Hawaiian forests: Effects of invasive animals and plants on soil infiltration capacity across substrate and moisture gradients
Given the potential effect of invasive plants and animals to water fluxes through forests, the invasive-driven degradation of native ecosystems is a topic of great concern for many downstream land and water managers. The infiltration rate determines the partitioning between runoff and infiltration into soil in Hawaiian forests and beyond. Thus, to...
Fortini, Lucas B.; Leopold, Christina; Perkins, Kimberlie; Chadwick, Oliver A.; Yelenik, Stephanie G.; Jacobi, James D.; Bishaw, Kaiena; Gregg, Makani; Rosa, Sarah N.
Numerical simulation of groundwater availability in central Moloka‘i, Hawai‘i
Since the 1990s, increased chloride concentrations of water pumped from wells (much of which is used for drinking water) and the effects of withdrawals on groundwater-dependent ecosystems have led to concerns over groundwater availability on the island of Molokaʻi, Hawaiʻi. An improved understanding of the hydrologic effects of proposed...
Oki, Delwyn S.; Engott, John A.; Rotzoll, Kolja Isotopic and geochemical assessment of the sensitivity of groundwater resources of Guam, Mariana Islands, to intra- and inter-annual variations in hydroclimate
Assessing the sensitivity of groundwater systems to hydroclimate variability is critical to sustainable management of the water resources of Guam, US territory. We assess spatial and temporal variability of isotopic and geochemical compositions of vadose and phreatic groundwater sampled from cave drip sites and production wells, respectively, to...
Beal, Lakin; Wong, Corinne I.; Bautista, Kaylyn K; Jenson, John W.; Banner, Jay L.; Lander, Mark A; Gingerich, Stephen B.; Partin, Judson W.; Hardt, Ben; van Oort, N.H. Simulating land cover change impacts on groundwater recharge under selected climate projections, Maui, Hawaiʻi
This project developed an integrated land cover/hydrological modeling framework using remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS) data, stakeholder input, climate information and projections, and empirical data to estimate future groundwater recharge on the Island of Maui, Hawaiʻi, USA. End-of-century mean annual groundwater recharge...
Brewington, Laura; Keener, Victoria; Mair, Alan The ‘Ike Wai Hawai‘i groundwater recharge tool
This paper discusses the design and implementation of the ‘Ike Wai Hawai‘i Groundwater Recharge Tool, an application for providing data and analyses of the impacts of land-cover and climate modifications on groundwater-recharge rates for the island of O‘ahu. This application uses simulation data based on a set of 29 land-cover types and two...
McLean, Jared H.; Cleaveland, Sean B.; Rotzoll, Kolja; Izuka, Scot K.; Leigh, Jason; Jacobs, Gwen A.; Theriot, Ryan
Water resources on Guam—Potential impacts of and adaptive response to climate change
The goals of this joint U.S. Geological Survey, University of Hawaiʻi, University of Guam, University of Texas, and East-West Center study were to (1) provide basic understanding about water resources for U.S. Department of Defense installations on Guam and (2) assess the resulting effect of sea-level rise and a changing climate on freshwater...
Gingerich, Stephen B.; Johnson, Adam G.; Rosa, Sarah N.; Marineau, Mathieu D.; Wright, Scott A.; Hay, Lauren E.; Widlansky, Matthew J.; Jenson, John W.; Wong, Corinne I.; Banner, Jay L.; Finucane, Melissa L.; Keener, Victoria W.