Environmental Scientist Robin Knox Explains How all those Water Quality Standards and Criteria Work!

by Robin S. Knox,

President, Water Quality Consulting, Inc.

Coordinator, Southwest Maui Watershed Plan

Founder, Aquanimity Now!

At the Ka’anapali KHFMA Birthday Bash, after feasting on coral conservation-themed culinary art, we had a lively discussion about water quality with concerned members of the public and Makai ‘i Watch volunteers.  We sampled water quality for turbidity and found that it did not meet the criteria in the regulations and might not be attaining state water quality standards.  In our discussion of the results, we found there is a need for education, training, and ongoing monitoring to protect water quality.

It can be confusing to talk about water quality because “not attaining standards” can mean the water quality concentration was above, below or between some criterion depending on which standard you are talking about.

 

The water concentrations in our results were above “water quality criteria concentrations." Often people think if the water concentration does not meet the criteria, that the standard is not met.  But wait, there is one more step!

Each criterion also has a frequency and duration of occurrence that goes with it.  In Hawaii water quality regulations this is expressed as “geometric mean” (a special kind of average), not to exceed 10%, and not to exceed 2%.  Our two results were .60 and .67 nephlometric turbidity units (NTU).  Each of these readings is above the geometric mean criterion (0.20 NTU)  and not to exceed 10% criteria (0.50 NTU).

So what we saw was that the water concentration was above the geometric mean  criteria concentration.  If we monitor over time, and that condition (wq>cc) occurs often enough that the geometric mean of the water quality data set is greater than geometric mean criteria concentration (0.20 NTU), or if the water turbidity greater than 0.5 occurs more than 10%, then the standard is not attained. For toxic and bioaccumulating substances, acute criterion durations are relatively short term – hours, 24 at the most.  Chronic and longer term indicators have longer periods, years or organism life span.

Criterion are also not just numbers and water chemistry; there are criteria for things that directly relate to other monitoring done by DAR and volunteer programs (narrative criteria that prohibit causing nuisance algal growth, prohibit discharge of pollutants that do not support aquatic life use). 

And lastly it is not just the criteria.  With water quality, the proof is in the pudding – the outcome in terms of supported uses. Are the designated and existing uses supported or impaired? Did the aquatic life live, grow and reproduce?  Can people fish there and safely eat the fish?  Can you safely do full body immersion (primary contact recreation – swimming, diving, snorkeling, surfing) or is it secondary contact recreation only (e.g. fishing in ways that protect or not immerse mucous membranes)?

These are the questions addressed by the Clean Water Act in the Water Quality Management and Planning Programs.  Both West Maui (Ridge to Reef Initiative) and South Maui (Southwest Maui Watershed Plan) have watershed planning efforts underway that will include specific water quality goals and monitoring to determine outcomes. The state (DOH) requires 10 representative samples for data to be used in their official assessment.  Data can be collected by anyone and DOH has to consider data of known quality (e.g. has a quality control program).  The programs sponsored by HIHWNMS , DAR, the Southwest Maui Watershed coordinator, CORAL and others have quality control and provide data that is useful for management. Our water quality and aquatic life depend upon all of us to manage pollution and support clean water.  There is plenty of support and no lack of opportunity to help. Citizen scientists, those concerned citizens who are trained to serve as volunteer monitors will surely be a critical part of any successful resource management program on Maui.

KHFMA's 3rd Birthday Bash!

The Kahekili Herbivore Fisheries Management Area’s third annual Birthday Bash celebration was held the last weekend of July at Kahekili Beach Park. Why not throw a birthday party for a Marine Managed Area?! Thanks to everyone who was part of our event, and thanks for wearing the birthday hats – it’s a tradition – even the KHFMA sign wears one.

The past two years we have held a potluck and conducted several educational and citizen science activities during the day, and this year decided we’d try to top last year’s festivities. Of course a main objective of the Birthday Bash was to raise awareness about the KHFMA and why it exists, so we wanted to make sure its themes of marine conservation and community involvement were well represented throughout all the festivities.

Through outreach stations and partygoing volunteers, beachgoers and participants had the opportunity to learn about the efforts of the Ka’anapali Makai Watch program, jointly coordinated by Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR), the Coral Reef Alliance, and Project S.E.A.-Link. The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary outreach team was also onhand with an education station to talk to visitors and community members about their efforts. 

There were many people wearing yellow shirts – either in support of the Herbivore Enhancement Area (HEA) citizen science program coordinated by DAR, or our awesome team of Ka’anapali Makai Watch volunteers, who are out there talking to visitors, fishers, other community members, and serving as excellent “box-parents” to help get the word out about the KHFMA.

The Birthday Bash featured training on the HEA fish grazing surveys, and an in-water reef tour by DAR biologist (and Ka’anapali Makai Watch co-coordinator) Darla White, who took participants out to observe firsthand some key features of the reef at Kahekili – examples of healthy versus degraded reef, the “dead zones,” grazing herbivores, and the freshwater seeps which have been linked to the treated effluent from the Lahaina Wastewater Reclamation Facility. Nothing takes the place of experience, and as Darla puts it, “you’ll see the reef through new eyes” after joining us in the water. 

Luna Kekoa, NOAA Coral Fellow and Ka’anapali Makai Watch co-coordinator, created and shared several interpretive displays to communicate the outcomes of the Creel fishing effort surveys conducted last year, and to convey a sense of place and provide a proper cultural context for the area. He also taught people about different types of fishing gear and their traditional usage, through interactive demonstrations. Many people had the chance to try throw-netting thanks to Luna’s instruction!

Environmental Scientist Robin Knox set up a water quality “talk story” station, and engaged volunteers and community members in dialogue on relevant water quality issues. The team also conducted some turbidity sampling together, and discussed the results. Robin wrote up a great blog post about the experience, and explained some of the technical considerations that go along with “standards” and “criteria,” as these themes can be complicated, but have serious implications. The exciting outcome from the event is that there seems to be a renewed interest in establishing a more ongoing community-based water quality  monitoring program for West Maui. Stay tuned for more on that…

The event also featured a team of divers conducting REEF’s Great Annual Fish Count, the 12^th to be held on Maui and the 21st overall! A crew from the Fish Identification Network and Maui Ocean Stewards made sure no fishes went uncounted that day.

Last but not least, one of the highlights from last year’s Birthday Bash were the manini and “phase shift” cakes and the seaurchin cupcakes made by the research team from Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Their level of geeky awesomeness inspired us to develop a KHFMA-themed culinary contest for this year’s Birthday Bash. To be quite honest we had no idea how to run a culinary contest, but it sounded like a fun thing to try, that would also serve an education and outreach function. We came up with some categories  - “Hebivory/Grazing,” “KHFMA General,” “Best Use of Limu,” and “Science Geekiest,” and put the word out. We enlisted a VIP Guest Judging panel consisting of chefs from local Ka‘anapali area hotels - Chef David Roshenski from the Westin Ka‘anapali Ocean Resort, Chef Pavy Keomaniboth from the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa, and Chef Jojo Vasquez from the Banyan Tree at the Ritz Carlton Kapalua Resort; as well as professionals within the science, education and conservation community, including: Robin Knox (Water Quality Consulting, Inc. & Aquanimity Now), Dr. Mark Deakos (Hawaii Association for Marine Education and Research), Erin Iberg (Maui Ocean Center), Ka’au Abraham (Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary), Tova Callender (West Maui Ridge to Reef Initiative), and Eve Clute (West Maui Sustainability). We received donations of prizes from the Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas, the Ritz Calrton Kapalua, the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa, the Royal Lahaina, Trilogy Excursions, and Maui Sporting Goods. With all the pieces in place, we then put the word out.

What we didn’t quite expect was the 22 entries, and the amazing level of creativity that was on display! Check out the photos on the voting album that was posted on facebook; there are even more photos in the general album.

Congratulations to all the winners! Here they are below, listed by category:

KHFMA General: 1^st Place: Lindo Castro; 2^nd Place: Veronica Sylva

Herbivory/Grazing: 1^st Place: Sheila Murphy; 2^nd Place: Audrey Dack

Best Use of Limu: 1^st Place: Maria Demarest; 2^nd Place: Luna Kekoa

Science Geekiest: 1^st Place: Levi Lewis (check out his blog post here!); 2^nd Place:  Eve Clute

Most Creative: 1^st Place: Judy Lauridson; 2^nd Place: Sheila Murphy

Best Overall (including Judging Panel, community participants, and facebook voters): Maria Demarest; runner up - Linda Castro

So again, MAHALO to all of those who came out in support of the Kahekili Herbivore Fisheries Management Area, and made our 3^rd Birthday Bash a fun success! We also want to acknowlegde our amazing team of outreach volunteers who help spread the word about the KHFMA all the time, and those who are helping with the monitoring efforts as citizen scientists. You all know who you are, and you all are awesome and inspirational!!

We have a year ahead of us to figure out what to do for the 4^th Birthday Bash – if you have any creative ideas, please post them on our facebook wall!

photos in this post contributed by Darla White, Donna Brown & Liz Foote

Scientists Respond to NYT Op-Ed: A World without Coral Reefs

Aloha all,

Last week an Op-Ed in the New York Times, "A World Without Coral Reefs" by Roger Bradbury  (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/14/opinion/a-world-without-coral-reefs.html?_r=1) went viral.  He referred to coral reefs as "zombie ecosystems, neither dead nor truly alive in any functional sense, and on a trajectory to collapse within a human generation."  I happen to strongly disagree with him on that point, as do others.  There are a lot of truths in his article and a conversation that needs attention, to be sure.  But especially here in Hawaii, we have hope for our reefs, and nature is amazingly resilient...IF we decide to be proactive about keeping them healthy, which means they need fish for ecosystem services such as reducing algal growth, and clean, clear, low nutrient water.

There have been some responses to the article that you should read from scientists like John Bruno, Jeremy Jackson, Carl Safina, and more.  I have included two blog responses of interest that I hope you take the time to read...I'll just include one brief excerpt but there is more, well worth your five minutes that it will take to read...because it is not all doom and gloom, but it is serious.  From John Bruno (excerpt):

The world’s coral reefs have indeed changed, are under enormous pressure, and their future is threatened.

But are they really “on a trajectory to collapse within a human generation”? No.

Is there really “no hope of saving the global coral reef ecosystem”? No, there is hope.

And is the “scientific evidence for this is compelling and unequivocal”? No, not remotely.

I think these are valid opinions, but they are not science, nor are they supported by science. 

http://theseamonster.net/2012/07/jeremy-jacksons-take-on-zombie-ecology/

http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/14/reefs-in-the-anthropocene-zombie-ecology/

Lanai, Photo by Darla White

Reefs are under significant pressure and there will be losses...it will be different.   Yes, many of our reefs are in decline and Hawaii is not immune to the warming ocean temperatures and ocean acidification, but healthy reefs will be more resilient to these pressures.  Our reefs are priceless for so many reasons, so we need to manage our reefs effectively, and we need communities to get involved and support proactive strategies for ensuring Hawaii's reefs will be around for the grandkids and beyond.

We all have to be good stewards. We can do something about overfishing, pollution, and sedimentation, and it starts with understanding that each and every person living on these islands can do something to make it better.  A positive place to start is by cutting back on your own CO2 emissions (electricity usage, meat consumption, fuel, buy local, etc.) and supporting renewable energy initiatives.  Be pono about fishing and take only what you need.  And remember, everything is connected mauka to makai, so think about the products you buy and use and how you dispose of things...all drains lead to the ocean.

Mahalo, Darla


Darla J White
Special Projects Coordinator
DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources, Maui
130 Mahalani Street, Wailuku HI 96793

Eyes of the Reef
Climate Change and Marine Disease Local Action Strategy
Island Coordinator, Maui
www.reefcheckhawaii.org/eyesofthereef

Cell: 808-281-4916
onareef@yahoo.com
darla.j.white@hawaii.gov