"Getting to Know" Kapa‘a Stream
After successfully navigating past construction equipment and "Road Closed" signs along Kapa‘a Quarry Road, our group of intrepid Kapa‘a Stream Explorers congregated at the Model Airplane Field Parking Lot.
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| Our leader, Ric Guinther of AECOS Inc. & ‘Ahahui Mālama i ka Lōkahi gave a brief overview of Kapa'a stream and the history of the area. From the parking lot, Ric pointed out the location of past landfill sites, a forest of native ‘ōhi‘a lehua trees on a distant ridge, and described the origin of a number of place names. | ||
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This streamwalk focused on the land uses around Kapa‘a Stream, which include landfills, industrial operations, a quarry, illegal dumping and conservation, and how they can affect water quality. Because of all of these activities, Kapa‘a Stream is extremely difficult to navigate. Today's streamwalk would have been better described as a "streamdrive". |
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| The timing of this streamwalk was ideal because Kapa‘a Quarry is a potential site for O‘ahu's new landfill. This walk gave the public a chance to access the quarry itself, and see the location firsthand. | ||
Our first stop was the Ameron Quarry. The scale of the quarry operation is massive. For example, in the picture at the right, each "layer" visible along the quarry wall is about 100 ft high, and you can hardly see the huge yellow dumptruck near the center!
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The site of the quarry was once the caldera of an ancient volcano. The rock is of high quality for construction, but is almost totally impermeable to water. Linda Goldstein, Ameron's environmental health and safety manager, explained that Ameron must contain all runoff within the quarry itself. This is done using a network of pipes, pumps, and settling ponds. If there is too much for these systems to contain, the excess water fills the quarry pit itself. The water is then recycled and used to keep dust down, wash vehicles and is used in the production of concrete. The quarry is currently proposed as one of the potential sites for O‘ahu's next landfill. However, if this site were chosen, an elaborate system for removing and treating all of the garbage-polluted rainwater from the pit would have to be developed to prevent the landfill from becoming a vat of nasty-smelling "stew". |
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Structures like the one shown to the left were built in an effort to keep all of the runoff from the Ameron site from entering Kapa‘a stream. A culvert directs the natural stream under the road while the high walls force runoff from the property towards a pump, where it is recirculated into Ameron's water catchment system. A similar structure is located right at Ameron's front gate. Any runoff coming down Ameron's "driveway" should be caught and pumped back up into the recirculation system. | |
Kapa‘a Stream flows into Hawai‘i's largest wetland, Kawai Nui Marsh. Ric explained that the marsh is actually covered by a gigantic floating "mat" of vegetation. ‘Ahahui Mālama I Ka Lōkahi is actively involved restoration and monitoring at Kawai Nui Marsh. Click here to learn more.
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At Kawai Nui Marsh, we collected data for KBAC's Awareness Survey. Click here to see our results, and learn more about what you can do to improve water quality. It may not have really been a "walk", but it was definately an informative drive! |
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Ric has his own excellent site on the Kapa'a Watershed here! Be sure to check it out too!
If you think these walks sound interesting or look like fun, why not sign up for the next one?