History of the Waimea River
Current Problems
* Miles of irrigation ditches put in place during the plantation era continues to divert millions of gallons of water per day (mgd) from our river
* There are little to no fish in the river . . . . hinana, oopu, and opae are scarce * Silt from low water levels continues to build mounds and islands in the river that affect the flow * The state and county are not addressing our water level and river concerns at this time (but efforts have been made by the Kauai County General Planners and our Mayor) |
Taking Action
In an assignment that looked at the mauka watershed system and how it effects our Waimea ahupuaa, we began to research and dig deeper to understand the Waimea river's dependence on a healthy and flowing water source. We know that food grows where water flows and if we are to be a self-sustaining community again, the life of the Waimea River needs to be a priority.
We have proposed our ideas and concerns to Kauai County General Plan committee members and will ask our Kauai County Council to be active in the effort to make our Waimea river healthy again. We have been given the opportunity to present our river concerns and upcoming community event to our own Mayor Bernard Carvalho. We know that with education and hard work, we can spread awareness to our community and be the change we want to see in those around us. |
Goals
It is our goal to share information about the current health of the Waimea River and to positively impact the life of our river for future students to enjoy by taking action in removing silt build up being caused by years of water diversion.
* To restore the water flow back to the Waimea river and monitor the IFS levels * Stop wasting the water that is being diverted to irrigation ditches in Kekaha and Mana because it is causing our river to dry out * Remove the silt from the river that is blocking the natural flow of water to the ocean *Raise awareness about the health and life of our river *Provide opportunities for others in our school and community to take action |