HomeMy WebLinkAboutWorking Draft Summary - Priority Problems, Sources, Management Measues, Native Hawaiian Practices, and Implementing PartnersHilo Bay Resilience and Watershed Management Plan
Working Draft Summary of Priority Problems, Sources, Management Measures, Native Hawaiian Practices, and Implementing Partners
Introduction and Instructions 2
Input Request 2
Agency Acronyms 3
Acronyms by Jurisdiction 4
A. Water Quality and Watershed Function 6
1. Pathogens and fecal contamination 6
2. Excess Sediment 7
3. Excess nutrients 8
4. Trash and Solid Waste 9
5. Oil, petroleum, metals and urban chemicals 10
6. Pesticides and herbicides 11
7. Emerging contaminants 12
8. Altered Hydrology (and thermal conditions) 13
9. Volcanic and geothermal water-quality effects 14
B. Coastal Resilience and Natural Systems 15
10. Tsunami inundation and extreme wave events 15
11. Coastal, compound and riverine flooding 16
12. Sea-level rise, chronic inundation and rising groundwater 17
13. Coastal erosion and shoreline change 18
14. Loss or degradation of coastal wetlands, estuarine/riparian habitat and natural shoreline buffering 19
15. Hilo breakwater, harbor-system resilience and altered coastal processes 20
16. Vulnerability of critical infrastructure, utilities and community lifelines 21
17. Degradation of Coastal and Marine Habitats 22
Introduction and Instructions
This is a Word version of the table circulated earlier that listed the priority problems identified so far in the Hilo Bay Watershed and within the bay and coastal communities. Alongside
the identified priority problems are descriptions of the potential sources of the problems, potential management measures, and lists of potential County, State, and Federal Agency partners.
Many of the identified problems came directly from community member input at the May 23, 2026, Community Listening Fair.
Note that this is a preliminary working document. Management measures are high-level for illustration purposes. Already from initial discussions, some problems may be refined for clarity
(e.g., 9 Volcanic and Geothermal Water Quality Effects). In addition, the University of Hawaiʻi was added as a State Agency.
Some additional changes in this document compared with the draft table:
Reference to “Local Agency Lead” has been changed to Key County Agencies to align with the language used to identify Key State and Federal Agencies. As the plan and recommended actions
develop, the leads, whether County, State, or Federal, will be identified.
Another summary section related to the summary of management measures has been added to collect examples of traditional Native Hawaiian practices that have been used to mitigate or avoid
any of the identified problems.
Input Request
Please review and add any appropriate community partners for each of the priority problems. A few examples are already added in.
Please add any related Native Hawaiian practice or practices used to mitigate any of the priority problems where applicable. References will be greatly appreciated.
Any other thoughts are welcome. You may add any agencies that we forgot about, or, if you represent an agency that has been listed and feel that it may be an incorrect “assignment” please
let us know.
Email your completed document to Elizabeth.Dykstra@hawaiicounty.gov by October 16, 2026. A compilation will be reviewed by the Community Advisory Committee.
Mahalo!
Agency Acronyms
CTAHR College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience, UH Mānoa, State of Hawaiʻi
CWB Clean Water Branch (DOH), State of Hawaiʻi
DAB Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, State of Hawaiʻi
DAR Division of Aquatic Resources (DLNR), State of Hawaiʻi
DEM Department of Environmental Management, County of Hawaiʻi
DHHL Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, State of Hawaiʻi
DHS U.S. Department of Homeland Security
DLNR Department of Land and Natural Resources, State of Hawaiʻi
DOBOR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DLNR), State of Hawaiʻi
DOD U.S. Department of Defense
DOE U.S. Department of Energy
DOFAW Division of Fish and Wildlife (DLNR), State of Hawaiʻi
DOH Department of Health
DOI U.S. Department of the Interior
DOT U.S. Department of Transportation
DPW Department of Public Works, County of Hawaiʻi
DSP Division of State Parks (DLNR), State of Hawaiʻi
DWS Department of Water Supply, County of Hawaiʻi
EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency (DHS)
FHWA Federal Highway Administration (U.S. DOT)
HawCC Hawaiʻi Community College, State of Hawaiʻi
HDOT Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation, State of Hawaiʻi
HEER Hazard Evaluation and Emergency Response (DOH) State of Hawaiʻi
HI-EMA Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency, State of Hawaiʻi
NCCOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NOAA)
NMFS National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA)
NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NRCS Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA)
NWS National Weather Service (NOAA)
OCCL Commission on Water Resource Management (DLNR), State of Hawaiʻi
OCM Office for Coastal Management (NOAA)
OHA Office of Hawaiian Affairs, State of Hawaiʻi
OSCER Office of Sustainability, Climate, Equity, and Resilience, County of Hawaiʻi
OSPB Office of Planning and Sustainable Development
P&R Department of Parks and Recreation, County of Hawaiʻi
PD Planning Department, County of Hawaiʻi
R&D Department of Research and Development, County of Hawaiʻi
RD Rural Development (USDA)
REPI Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program (U.S. DOD)
SDWB Safe Drinking Water Branch (DOH), State of Hawaiʻi
SHPD State Historic Preservation Division (DLNR), State of Hawaiʻi
SWCD Soil and Water Conservation Districts (DLNR), State of Hawaiʻi
SWPB Surface Water Protection Branch (DOH), State of Hawaiʻi
UHH University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, State of Hawaiʻi
USACE U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (DOD)
USACE U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (DOD)
USCG U.S. Coast Guard (DHS)
USDA U.S. Department of Agriculture
USFS U.S. Forest Service (USDA)
USFWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (DOI)
USGS U.S. Geological Survey (DOI)
WWB Wastewater Branch (DOH), State of Hawaiʻi
Acronyms by Jurisdiction
County Agencies
Acronym
Agency
DEM
Department of Environmental Management
DPW
Department of Public Works
DWS
Department of Water Supply
OSCER
Office of Sustainability, Climate, Equity, and Resilience
P&R
Department of Parks and Recreation
PD
Planning Department
R&D
Department of Research and Development
State Agencies
Acronym
Agency
DAB
Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity
DHHL
Department of Hawaiian Home Lands
HI-EMA
Hawaii Emergency Management Agency
DOH
Department of Health
DOH CWB
Clean Water Branch
DOH HEER
Hazard Evaluation and Emergency Response
DOH SDWB
Safe Drinking Water Branch
DOH SWPB
Surface Water Protection Branch
DOH WWB
Wastewater Branch
DLNR
Department of Land and Natural Resources
DLNR OCCL
Commission on Water Resource Management
DLNR DAR
Division of Aquatic Resources
DLNR DOBOR
Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation
DLNR DOFAW
Division of Fish and Wildlife
DLNR DSP
Division of State Parks
DLNR SWCD
Soil and Water Conservation Districts
DLNR SHPD
State Historic Preservation Division
HDOT
Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation
OHA
Office of Hawaiian Affairs
OSPB
Office of Planning and Sustainable Development
UHH
University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo
HawCC
Hawaiʻi Community College
CTAHR
College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Federal Agencies
Acronym
Agency
EPA
Environmental Protection Agency
DOE
Department of Energy
DOD
Department of Defense
REPI
Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program
USACE
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
DHS
Department of Homeland Security
FEMA (DHS)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
USCG (DHS)
U.S. Coast Guard
DOI
Department of the Interior
USGS (DOI)
U.S. Geological Survey
USFWS (DOI)
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
DOT
Department of Transportation
FHWA (DOT)
Federal Highway Administration
NOAA
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NCCOS (NOAA)
National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science
NMFS (NOAA)
National Marine Fisheries Service
NWS (NOAA)
National Weather Service
OCM (NOAA)
Office for Coastal Management
USACE
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
USDA
U.S. Department of Agriculture
NRCS (USDA)
Natural Resources Conservation Service
USFS (USDA)
U.S. Forest Service
RD (USDA)
Rural Development
Water Quality and Watershed Function
Pathogens and fecal contamination
Principal Sources / drivers:
Cesspools/OSDS; sewer leaks and overflows; WWTP failures; animal and pet waste; feral/invasive animals, aquaculture/aquaponics.
Summary management measures:
Convert/upgrade cesspools and OSDS; repair/inspect sewers; reduce inflow/infiltration; overflow detection, emergency storage and backup power; improve treatment/reuse and groundwater
monitoring; livestock exclusion/waste management; feral-animal control; pet-waste education; aquaculture effluent controls.
Traditional Native Hawaiian Practices:
Key County Partners:
DEM Wastewater; DWS; PD/OSCER; Animal Control; Banyan Drive Hawaiʻi Redevelopment Agency (PD)
Key State Partners:
DOH WWB, CWB, SDWB, SWPB; DAB; DLNR DOFAW/DAR/OCCL; OHA; HI-EMA; SWCDs; DHHL, UHH PACRC
Key Federal Partners:
EPA; USDA-NRCS; NOAA Fisheries; USFWS; FEMA
Key Community Partners:
Keaukaha Community Association; Leleiwi Community Association; Kaumana Hawaiian Homes Community Association; Piʻihonua Hawaiian Homestead Community Association; Halai Kumiai; Big Island
Invasive Species Committee;
Excess Sediment
Principal Sources / drivers:
Construction/grading; roads and drainage; eroding streambanks; disturbed forests; agriculture; vegetation removal; feral ungulates; invasive species; wildfire; harbor dredging; extreme
rainfall/landslides.
Summary management measures:
Construction erosion controls/phased grading; stabilize soils/roads and improve drainage; riparian buffers and streambank restoration; reconnect stream corridors; forest/native vegetation
restoration; agricultural soil-conservation BMPs; ungulate/invasive control; wildfire prevention/post-fire stabilization; managed dredging; slope stabilization
Traditional Native Hawaiian Practices:
Key County Partners:
DPW; PD/OSCER; Fire; Civil Defense
Key State Partners:
DOH CWB/SWPB; DLNR CWRM, DAR, DOFAW, OCCL; DAB; HDOT; HI-EMA; SWCDs; DHHL
Key Federal Partners:
EPA; USDA-NRCS; USACE; USFWS; USFS; FHWA; FEMA; USGS
Key Community Partners:
Mauna Kea Watershed Alliance; Three Mountain Alliance; Pūʻā Foundation - Punahoa Heritage Forest
Excess nutrients
Principal Sources / drivers:
Fertilizer; livestock/animal waste; cesspools and OSDS; WWTP leaks/overflows; aquaculture and aquaponics
Summary management measures:
Nutrient-management plans; precision/slow-release fertilization; livestock waste controls; riparian buffers; cesspool conversion and sewer improvements; wastewater treatment/reuse/monitoring;
aquaculture effluent treatment and recirculation.
Traditional Native Hawaiian Practices:
Key County Partners:
DEM Wastewater; DWS; PD/OSCER
Key State Partners:
DOH WWB/CWB/SDWB/SWPB; DAB; DLNR; SWCDs; DAR/OCCL/DOFAW; OHA; HI-EM; DHHL; UHH PACRC
Key Federal Partners:
EPA; USDA-NRCS; USDA-RD; USFWS; FEMA; NOAA Fisheries
Key Community Partners:
Hawaiʻi Rural Water Association;
Trash and Solid Waste
Principal Sources / drivers:
Litter; illegal dumping; unsecured waste; street/parking runoff; storm drains; shoreline recreation
Summary management measures:
Source reduction and solid-waste controls; trash capture; street sweeping; storm-drain protection; illegal-dumping prevention/enforcement; cleanup and marine-debris programs; public
education and stewardship
Traditional Native Hawaiian Practices:
Key County Partners:
DEM; DPW; P&R; Environmental Management Commission (DEM); Banyan Drive Hawaiʻi Redevelopment Agency (PD)
Key State Partners:
DOH Solid & Hazardous Waste Branch; DOH CWB; DHHL
Key Federal Partners:
EPA; NOAA
Key Community Partners:
Zero Waste Hawaiʻi Island;
Oil, petroleum, metals and urban chemicals
Principal Sources / drivers:
Roads and vehicles; parking; commercial/industrial activities; fueling; harbor/vessel operations; legacy industrial/agricultural/landfill sites
Summary management measures:
Source control; spill prevention/response; stormwater treatment and vegetated swales; industrial BMPs; fueling/storage controls; vessel maintenance, bilge and waste BMPs; legacy-site
inventory, remediation and monitoring
Traditional Native Hawaiian Practices:
Key County Partners:
DPW; DEM; Fire; Civil Defense; Property Management; PD/OSCER
Key State Partners:
DOH CWB, HEER, Solid & Hazardous Waste Branch; DLNR/DOBOR; HDOT Harbors; SHPD as applicable; DHHL
Key Federal Partners:
EPA; USCG; DOE/legacy programs; federal historic-preservation partners
Key Community Partners:
Kanoelehua Industrial Area Association;
Pesticides and herbicides
Principal Sources / drivers:
Agriculture; landscaping; roadside vegetation management; forestry
Summary management measures:
Integrated pest management; reduced/targeted chemical use; timing and application-rate controls; vegetated buffers; native/urban forestry; education and technical assistance
Traditional Native Hawaiian Practices:
Key County Partners:
PD; DPW Highways Division
Key State Partners:
SWCDs; DAB Pesticides Branch; DLNR DOFAW; HDOT; DHHL
Key Federal Partners:
USDA-NRCS; USFS; FHWA
Key Community Partners:
Emerging contaminants
Principal Sources / drivers:
Roads/vehicles; consumer products; wastewater; plastics; firefighting chemicals; other poorly characterized sources
Summary management measures:
Initial emphasis on source identification and monitoring; characterize PFAS, microplastics and other contaminants; identify hotspots/pathways; source reduction/substitution where feasible;
incorporate controls into wastewater, stormwater, waste and emergency-response programs as science develops
Traditional Native Hawaiian Practices:
Key County Partners:
DEM; DPW; Fire; DWS; PD
Key State Partners:
DOH CWB/WWB/HEER/Solid & Hazardous Waste/SDWB, as applicable; DHHL
Key Federal Partners: EPA; USGS; NOAA, as applicable
Key Community Partners:
Altered Hydrology (and thermal conditions)
Principal Sources / drivers:
Impervious surfaces; channelization; vegetation removal; altered streamflow and barriers.
Summary management measures:
Green infrastructure/LID and infiltration; protect natural drainage; riparian/native revegetation; restore channel/floodplain function; remove/modify unnecessary channelization and barriers;
protect instream flows/connectivity.
Traditional Native Hawaiian Practices:
Key County Partners:
PD/OSCER; DPW;
Key State Partners:
DLNR CWRM, DAR, DOFAW; DOH SWPB; SWCDs; Hawaiʻi Green Infrastructure Authority; DHHL
Key Federal Partners:
EPA; USACE; USFWS; USDA-NRCS
Key Community Partners:
Volcanic and geothermal water-quality effects
Principal Sources / drivers:
Vog and acid deposition; volcanic geology-groundwater interactions; potentially other volcanic/geothermal pathways
Summary management measures:
Drinking-water/catchment guidance; vog monitoring/advisories; groundwater and surface-water monitoring; characterize volcanic/geologic influences to distinguish natural background from
anthropogenic pollution.
Traditional Native Hawaiian Practices:
Key County Partners:
DWS; Civil Defense
Key State Partners:
DOH CWB/Clean Air Branch; DHHL
Key Federal Partners:
USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory; other federal science partners as needed
Key Community Partners:
Coastal Resilience and Natural Systems
Tsunami inundation and extreme wave events
Principal Sources / drivers:
Local/distant earthquakes; submarine landslides; tsunami propagation/amplification within Hilo Bay; high-velocity inundation, debris and scour; seasonal high waves/extreme storm waves
Summary management measures:
Warning and evacuation systems/signage; evacuation-route/access planning; public education; hazard-based critical-facility siting; preserve flood-compatible open space; relocate/reduce
exposure where warranted; post-disaster recovery/redevelopment planning; restore coastal/natural buffers where effective.
Traditional Native Hawaiian Practices:
Key County Partners:
Civil Defense; PD; DPW; P&R; Police/Fire; OSCER/R&D
Key State Partners:
HI-EMA; DLNR; HDOT; OPSD/CZM; DHHL
Key Federal Partners:
FEMA; NOAA/NWS; USGS; USACE where infrastructure is involved
Key Community Partners:
Pacific Tsunami Museum;
Coastal, compound and riverine flooding
Principal Sources / drivers:
Extreme rainfall/high streamflows; tributary flows; urban runoff/ponding; high tides; storm surge; coastal storms; sea-level rise; interaction of stream, drainage, groundwater and coastal
water levels
Summary management measures:
Watershed-scale drainage improvements; reconnect streams/floodplains; restore wetlands/riparian buffers; native revegetation; green infrastructure; protect/restore natural drainage;
dune, beach and coastal-wetland restoration; flood-compatible land use; setbacks; living shorelines; slope stabilization
Traditional Native Hawaiian Practices:
Key County Partners:
DPW; PD; DEM; Civil Defense; P&R; OSCER
Key State Partners:
DLNR Engineering/CWRM/OCCL/D OFAW; OPSD/CZM; HI-EMA; HDOT; DOH; DHHL
Key Federal Partners:
FEMA; USACE; NOAA; USGS; EPA; USDA-NRCS
Key Community Partners:
Sea-level rise, chronic inundation and rising groundwater
Principal Sources / drivers:
Global climate change/rising mean sea level; elevated coastal water levels; rising groundwater table and groundwater emergence; groundwater-volcanic geology interaction; increasingly
frequent high-tide flooding
Summary management measures:
Phased adaptation strategies; vulnerability mapping/monitoring; avoid or limit new exposure; accommodate/elevate/floodproof where appropriate; relocate/realign vulnerable development
and infrastructure; protect adaptation space; groundwater monitoring; integrate rising groundwater into wastewater, drainage, water-supply and land-use planning
Traditional Native Hawaiian Practices:
Key County Partners:
PD; DPW; DEM; DWS; P&R; OSCER/R&D
Key State Partners:
OPSD/CZM; DLNR OCCL/CWRM; Climate Commission; DOH SDWB/WWB; HDOT; DHHL
Key Federal Partners:
NOAA; FEMA; USACE; USGS; EPA
Key Community Partners:
Coastal erosion and shoreline change
Principal Sources / drivers:
Sea-level rise; storms/waves; historic shoreline modification; shoreline protection structures; development; altered sediment movement; inundation/disaster damage
Summary management measures:
Setbacks/avoidance; beach nourishment/sediment augmentation; living shorelines; dune/beach restoration; protect sediment processes; evaluate hard-to-soft protection alternatives; selective
realignment/relocation; accommodation/elevation; redesign/remove obsolete structures; evaluate offshore/reef-based approaches where appropriate
Traditional Native Hawaiian Practices:
Key County Partners:
PD; DPW; P&R; R&D/OSCER
Key State Partners:
DLNR OCCL/Land Division; OPSD/CZM; HDOT Harbors; DHHL
Key Federal Partners:
USACE; NOAA NMFS; USGS; EPA where water-quality effects occur
Key Community Partners:
Loss or degradation of coastal wetlands, estuarine/riparian habitat and natural shoreline buffering
Principal Sources / drivers:
Development/habitat conversion; altered hydrology/connectivity; invasive species; pollution; sea-level rise; shoreline structures; loss of accommodation space; sediment disruption
Summary management measures:
Restore wetlands, estuarine and riparian habitat; invasive removal; reconnect riparian areas/floodplains; living shorelines; vegetated buffers; sediment enhancement where appropriate;
protect shoreline accommodation space; remove/redesign obsolete hard structures; plan for habitat migration
Traditional Native Hawaiian Practices:
Key County Partners:
PD; P&R; DPW; R&D/OSCER
Key State Partners:
DLNR DAR/DOFAW/OCCL/SP; OPSD/CZM; DOH; DHHL
Key Federal Partners:
NOAA; USFWS; USACE; EPA; USDA-NRCS; FEMA where hazard-reduction benefits overlap
Key Community Partners:
East Hawaiʻi Fishers Working Group;
Hilo breakwater, harbor-system resilience and altered coastal processes
Principal Sources / drivers:
Existing breakwater/navigation infrastructure; altered wave, circulation and sediment processes; storms and sea-level rise; aging harbor infrastructure; dredging/navigation requirements
Summary management measures:
Assess breakwater/harbor performance under future conditions; evaluate retrofit/redesign/modification; resilient harbor infrastructure; coordinate dredging/sediment management with shoreline/ecosyste
m objectives; spill/operational resilience; maintain navigation/emergency functions while addressing altered coastal processes
Traditional Native Hawaiian Practices:
Key County Partners:
Civil Defense; PD; DPW/DEM where County systems interface
Key State Partners:
HDOT Harbors; DLNR DAR/DOBOR; DOH; OPSD/CZM; DHHL
Key Federal Partners:
USACE; USCG; NOAA; EPA
Key Community Partners:
Vulnerability of critical infrastructure, utilities and community lifelines
Principal Sources / drivers:
Tsunami; coastal/riverine flooding; sea-level rise; extreme storms/waves; debris; prolonged power outages; aging infrastructure; loss of access to critical facilities
Summary management measures:
Hazard-based siting/capital planning; protect/elevate/floodproof essential facilities; system redundancy and backup power; relocate/realign highly exposed assets; resilient redevelopment
after disasters; protect evacuation/emergency access; integrate adaptation into asset management and CIP decisions
Traditional Native Hawaiian Practices:
Key County Partners:
DPW; DEM; DWS; Civil Defense; PD; Mass Transit; County facility managers
Key State Partners:
HDOT; HI-EMA; DOH; DLNR; relevant State facility owners; DHHL; Public Utilities Commission State of Hawaiʻi
Key Federal Partners:
FEMA; USACE; EPA; NOAA; U.S. DOT as applicable
Key Community Partners:
Hawaiʻi Electric Light Company; Hawaiian Telcom;
Degradation of Coastal and Marine Habitats
Principal Sources / drivers:
Land-based pollution - sedimentation, nutrients, etc. marine debris, contamination; coastal/offshore development and habitat modification. Invasive species, [overfishing], climate change/ocean
warming, coral bleaching, ocean acidification, extreme events.
Summary management measures:
Green infrastructure; watershed management measures in sections 1-7 (e.g., erosion control) remediate ecosystem services. Coral Reef management, restoration; sustainable fishing practices,
management of invasive species
Traditional Native Hawaiian Practices:
Key County Partners:
PD, R&D/OSCER; P&R for County Lands.
Key State Partners:
DLNR, DAR; DOH, CWB/SWPB, DLNR-DOBOR/OCCL, OPSD/CZM: Hawaiʻi Sea Grant Program; DHHL
Key Federal Partners:
NOAA Fisheries, NCCOS, OCM, and NMFS; EPA; USFWS; USGS; USACE.
Key Community Partners: