About Town | 7-29-14

Meeting on protecting aquifer slated Thursday

Makani Hou o Kaloko-Honokohau is sponsoring a meeting regarding the protection of water resources from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the County Council chambers at the West Hawaii Civic Center. This will be an informational meeting with Fred Cachola, president of Makani Hou o Kaloko-Honokohau, who was instrumental in establishing Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, and speakers familiar with land-based sources of water pollution, water sustainability, water law and policy, and the importance of ensuring water quantity and quality for resources at Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park. It is open to the public.

Abundant supplies of fresh clean groundwater are critical to support the purposes, values and resources for which Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park was established, as well as coastal ecosystems, fisheries, tourism and recreation throughout the area. The anchialine pools, fishponds, tide pools, and the nearshore environment are home to species such as limu (seaweed), amaama (mullet), and opae ula (shrimp) prized by Native Hawaiians. Abundant supplies of fresh clean groundwater provides habitat for endangered waterbirds such as the Hawaiian coot and stilt and candidate species such as two anchialine pool shrimp species and the orange-black Hawaiian damselfly. The continued health and existence of these natural and cultural resources depend on the continued flow of clean, abundant groundwater from mauka areas within the aquifer system.

For more information on what the National Park Service is doing to protect water resources, visit nps.gov/kaho or contact Jeff Zimpfer at 329-6881, ext. 1500.

Senior Roundtable Hui meets Tuesday

A Senior Roundtable Hui will be held from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Aug. 5 at the Pink Mocha Cafe just above Home Depot. Laura Guluzzy, gerontologist, will discuss the issues of aging and will answer questions. All are welcome to join.

Call Guluzzy for more information at 326-2100.