David Y. Ige

KAHULUI – The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) will host an open house in Lahaina on Wednesday, Nov. 18, from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. to share results and gather public input on the Draft Strategies and Implementation Report for the West Maui watersheds of Kahana, Honokahua, and Honolua. The open house will also include presentations on recent research, and information and exhibits from agencies and organizations working in the watersheds. The open house will be held at the Kaunoa Senior Center, Lahaina, 788 Pauoa Street.

The Draft Strategies and Implementation Report for Kahana, Honokahua, and Honolua watersheds is a follow-on report to the Kahana, Honokahua, and Honolua Watersheds Draft Watershed Characterization Report released last year. Previous reports also include a Watershed Characterization and a Strategies and Implementation Plan for Wahikuli and Honokōwai watersheds sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

All of these reports will be integrated into a comprehensive five watershed West Maui Watershed Plan sponsored by the DLNR and USACE. The West Maui Watershed Plan is a multi-agency effort that will propose a recommended strategy to address land-based sources of pollutants that adversely affect water quality and the health of coral reef ecosystems off shore of the five West Maui watersheds. This effort is part of the West Maui Ridge 2 Reef Initiative, and more information and the draft reports can be found at www.westmauir2r.com.

Please contact Tova Callender, West Maui Watershed Coordinator at [email protected] or Cami Kloster at 808-441-2148 for further information.

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Media Contacts:
Deborah Ward
Department of Land and Natural Resources
Public Information Specialist
(808) 587-0320

Joseph Bonfiglio
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Honolulu District
Chief Public Affairs Office
Ft. Shafter, Hawaii 96858
(808) 835-4004