Kailua Bay Advisory Council
Business Meeting Minutes
Windward Community College
Hale Alaka`i #118
September 4, 2002
www.kbac-hi.org

I. CALL TO ORDER

Chair Ron Walker called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm. There was a quorum.
Attendance:

1. Board members present: Scott Derrickson, Jeffrey Harris, Mark Heckman, Toby Rushforth,
Ronald Walker, Donna Wong and Christine Woolaway.
2. Director: Maile Bay
3. Education Coordinator: Elizabeth Harrington
4. GIS Coordinator: Mike McMahon
5. Guests: John Bay (PILI), Greg Braddy (Weston), Ric Guinther (‘Ahahui Malama I Ka Lokahi), Travis Hylton (Oceanit), Jim Wood (Ko’olau News), David Nagamine (C&C Environmental Services) and Judy Nakamura (CSF).

II. ADMINISTRATIVE BUSINESS

A. Community Input

‘Ahahui Malama I Ka Lokahi - Ric Guinther made a presentation on the work that they are doing in Kawainui March, partially funded by KBAC. The marsh was once 900 acres but the marsh has since been filled; some naturally and some by various other means and now there is approximately 5 acres or less of open water. It is very green but there is very little water. The consequence of having this much vegetation is that water birds cannot utilize the area and the water quality within the body of water is driven by a lack of oxygen, it is not a typical lake with fish. The fish and o’opu migrate between the ocean and stream but because of the lack of oxygen, nothing can migrate. The vegetation does cover the marsh now. Their group is looking at water quality within the marsh below the vegetation layer and also the water that passes through the marsh. Through a series of measurements they have seen that the marsh does clean the water that goes out. A lot of the restoration is taking place at Na Pohaku O Hauwahine near the Kapaa Quarry Road. They’re clearing the vegetation thereby creating open water and it is there that they are measuring not only the water level in the marsh but also water level thickness. They have since discovered that during winter there is no water and during summer there is. There is a lot of water going into the system during winter; the marsh receives water from the streams and also ground water from infiltration. This pushes the impermeable soil layer up against the vegetation mat and all of the water flows out over the surface during winter. They will continue to monitor and collect water samples.

B. Maile M. Bay – Executive Director’s Report

1. KBAC’s Master Plan – photographs have been inserted. EPA provided oral comments; they were positive as to the 1998 standards, but noted that future standards being set this year will require more specificity, such as load reduction. However, DOH has considerable funding available from the prior years that use the 1998 standards as criteria for funding. DOH staff said that they liked the document and will be sending a letter advising KBAC that it has been accepted as a WRAS for Ko‘olaupoko. Bay suggested holding a workshop and having copies available to the public.

2. John Goody is working on a proposal to KBAC on measures to improve storm water runoff from construction sites. He is putting together a list of tasks for a public information package (example: what is good erosion control) and proposed tasks for a KBAC Erosion Control specialist to work together with our Education Coordinator and the construction site management. He will present the information to KBAC before conducting an information workshop on erosion control and the regulation requirements at a KBAC workshop to be held on October 26, 20002.

3. Received the $1 million from the City and County for the remaining funds available under the Consent Decree. CSF has placed the funds in Certificates of Deposit.

4. PILI biologist, Malama Souza, and the KBAC Education Coordinator completed on-site visits with the existing KBAC contractors.

5. The KBAC GIS Coordinator has been asked to provide assistance to gather water quality data for various efforts by citizens. KBAC does not have a policy on use of KBAC staff time for projects other than those funded by KBAC. Recommend that KBAC provide a policy that allows this service on a case-by-case basis based on the availability of staff time, with the Director’s concurrence.
Action: Approve KBAC policy for staff time for non-KBAC projects.

Discussion ensued. Heckman asked for a cost value – in-kind service so it can be tracked. Derrickson asked if there was a specific project and Bay reported that it was a biologist who was doing stream sampling in the Kaelepulu area and wanted GIS work done. Bay suggested having it understood that KBAC would need a signed statement from the individual that they would share not only GIS data but any water quality data that is obtained. Rushforth suggested adopting the idea. He liked that it is in the scope of the KBAC mission as long as it doesn’t involve any high priority items or doing things that other people are being paid for. Heckman said it cannot infringe on our projects and all requests must go through the Director. If the priority is for profit use, there should be some renumeration, whether it’s data or in-kind service; something that comes back to KBAC to make it worthwhile. Bay will generate a form with the conditions expressed by the members.

6. John Harrison, UH Environmental Center, asked KBAC if it would like to be a sponsor a student internship for the Environmental Practicum class this fall, working 6 hours a week for three months. Bay submitted a form requesting assistance with researching and recommending long-range options for watershed council/organization for Koolaupoko or to research and draft public information materials to address construction runoff. Ten students have 25 sponsor organizations to choose from.

7. Ben Kama has resigned from KBAC. David Nagamine is working together with his boss, Tim Steinberger to fill the vacant position. Council will send a letter to Mr. Kama recognizing and thanking him for his contribution of time and expertise during his tenure on KBAC.

8. August 15, 2002, attended Tetra Tech’s initial meeting for the Kailua waterways project. There was an exceptional turn out of interested persons, representing a breadth of interests. Noted missing were the Army Corps, and Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Aquatic Resources. By is meeting regularly with Tetra Tech on the project.

9. August 22, 2002 - Attended a workshop by Tom Schueler, Executive Director, Center for Watershed Protection. He primarily discussed the level of impervious surface as the determinate for stream restoration. Specifically: 10%=light development, can have a sensitive stream, 10-25% declining stream stability, impacted, 25-50%= non-supporting biological diversity is gone, 50-60% pipe or canal exists instead of a stream. One acre lot development= 12% impervious surface. The actions that one can take in a watershed with 40-50% coverage: “don’t create worse downstream problems.” At 25-30% coverage, it is difficult to restore a stream. A restorable stream would have 15-20% coverage in a watershed. In his experience, he has seen results in 3-4 years in restoring a stream; although he analogized this action as being similar to “performing a heart transplant”. Restoration costs in the range of $1 million dollars a mile of stream. He also said it was feasible to develop a “district stormwater management utility” and sustain it with an annual residential fee of $10-15 per year.

10. KBAC Contractors’ status and proposal: to be discussed in executive session.

C. Mike McMahon – GIS Coordinator’s Report

1. All historic water quality data from the Hawaii Dept. of Health has been compiled into a more “GIS-friendly” database (dating from 01/01/1973 to 12/29/1998).

2. In preparation for merging our growing water quality database with our online mapping application:

3. Enterococci data has been received from the Dept. of Environmental Services for 36 locations, dating from 10/05/98 to 08/21/02. This information will be entered into the WQ database.

4. The following new image layers are now available on the mapping site:

5. Completed a complimentary online ESRI course “Migrating Data into the Geodatabase”.

Note: ASP: Active Server Pages is the programming language I am using to make ArcIMS “talk” to our database.

 

D. Elizabeth Harrington – Education Coordinator’s Report

1. August 4th KBAC sponsored Maunawili Stream Walk. Ric Guinther led the walk while discussing
the findings of his water quality sampling in the stream and Kawai Nui Marsh. Approximately 18 participants attended.

2. Drafted the KBAC’s Qualitative Stream Survey and evaluation sheet. The survey is in draft form for KBAC’s review and comment. The survey will be used at KBAC stream walks as a tool to promote awareness and identify various stream impacts. Other organizations (school classes, boy/girl scouts, etc.) will be approached and encouraged to use the survey and send the results back to KBAC.

3. August 16, 17, & 18, KBAC had an information booth at the Kaneohe Marine Base “Bayfest 2002”. Various water quality education information was distributed including the coloring book, “The Adventures of Waterwoman in Ko‘olaupoko” produced by Healthy Hawaii Coalition (HHC). Quite a few children knew about Waterwoman and oily Al, as HHC recently visited Mokapu Elementary School. Interested parties were encouraged to get involved with the Kailua Waterways Project.

4. Attended City & County Vision Project, Stream Restoration and Maintenance Master Plan meeting on August 27th. Rodney Funakoshi from Wilson Okamoto & Associates led the meeting. The purpose of the project is to develop a conceptual master plan for preservation, restoration and maintenance of streams in Kane`ohe-Kahalu`u. Approximately 15 people attended; some with concerns that another plan with no implementation would be the result.

5. Saturday. August 31, will conduct KBAC’s Network Meeting & Community Workshop. Agenda includes presenting KBAC’s Qualitative Stream Survey and field test at Kawa Stream.

6. Attached is KBAC community outreach efforts for Fall 2002.

KBAC Community Outreach Efforts for FALL 2002

III. MINUTES

July 29, 2002 minutes
Derrickson moved, seconded by Rushforth, to accept the minutes. Vote: 6 ayes, 1 abstention.

IV. MAHALO TO BENJAMIN KAMA

It is with great regret that Chair Walker has accepted the resignation of board member Benjamin Kama. He, along with the rest of the board, thanks Kama for sharing his expertise during the last two years.

V. PILI CONTRACT

The PILI board has agreed to a one-year contract with KBAC.

VI. EXECUTIVE SESSION

Discussion – KBAC contracts and pending proposals.

VII. MEETING

Meetings will be held at Windward Community College, Hale Alakai #118 at 6:45 pm:

October 16, 2002 (Wednesday)
November 13, 2002 (Wednesday)

VIII. ADJOURNMENT

The business meeting was adjourned at 10:05 pm.