NOVEMBER 2014


"Adopt the pace of nature:
her secret is patience."

Ralph Waldo Emerson
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KRCA Homeowners
Board of Directors Meeting

Wednesday, December 17, 2014
6:30 – 8:30 pm
Kilauea Neighborhood Center

Kalihiwai Ridge homeowners can find official minutes to KRCA Board of Directors meetings by setting up their own Account Log In at
www.associaonline.com.  They can assist you in getting your 7 digit homeowner number.  After you have that you will then need to set up a User Name and Password.  You can also set up having the Agenda to these meetings sent to you by e-mail the day before the meetings are held every other month.


My Impressions

There are pictures posted on the Dam & Ditch to show you what has been happening on the dam these last weeks.  Amazing progress in clearing vegetation, and yes, there is now an ocean view from the dam as well as the Kalihiwai Valley.  The Nene come to the head wall of the outflow works every morning to see what is happening to the lake and are obviously not sure where it has gone.  There were as many as 60 Nene here earlier in the year and we are now down to 4-12, we think 8 of these were born here some years back and stay year round.  November-January is their breeding season so this is especially hard on them to nest or not during such unstable water conditions.

One casualty so far of a dead Hawaiian coot by the shoreline was found and of course the fish are dying off as well.  The coots will most likely fly off to somewhere else, which would be just as well while the lake is so low and without enough oxygen and full of bacteria instead.  Best find a different place to be while we await the refilling of the lake this winter.  The Seepage and Stability Study is required by DLNR so this drain can't be helped, but I will certainly be glad when solutions are found to get the level back up to 15' on the stick.  So many years of fluctuation is taking a serious toll on the fish and endangered water bird habitat.

End of the year brings with it a sense of gratitude, however, for all the hard work going into taking the necessary steps towards hopefully preserving this special place.  Our Project Manager Jim Gair has coordinated a great crew of people to pull this off and I want to take this opportunity to publicly thank him and Roger, Lance, Kelly, Rick, Jack & Tripp & Sam from Porter Irrigation, Jason from Arcadis, John & Jim on the KRCA Dam Committee, Andy from Sustainable Resources Group International, Mary from Associa Hawaii, Troy & Tony taking all those fabulous drone flight pictures, Bob & Bert and the rest of the KRCA Board of Directors Dan, Skylar & Parker, our water use Easement Holders Joan & Bill Porter and Chris Jaeb, our patient and understanding lakeside residents, the KRCA membership, plus other unknown boots on the ground doing amazing things with all that heavy equipment.  Just remarkable what can get done in a week if you have the right toys to play with! 

Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Until we meet again.

Aloha,
Maggie Lea




Suggested Readings:
Water Resources and Climate Change Adaptation in Hawai`i: 2012
Reference:  Commission on Water Resource Management
Click here to download PDF file

Koamalu Volumes 1&2
by Ethel M Damon, 1931
A story of pioneers on Kauai and of what they built in that island garden

Sugar Water by Carol Wilcox 1996
Hawaiian & English definitions from the book:
wai - water, blood, passion, life
wai wai - wealth
pani wai - dam
water - transparent, odorless, tasteless, liquid, H2O

Wetland habitat non-invasive plant suggestions:
bacopa, makaloa, carex, aka 'akai, neke
kupukupu, laua'e


Links:

Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge
www.fws.gov/hanalei

Kauai Forest Birds Recovery Project
www.kauaiforestbirds.org 

Sounds Hawaiian
www.soundshawaiian.com/birds

National Wildlife Federation
www.nwf.org

Kalihiwai Reservoir is a
Certified Wildlife Habitat

Ducks Unlimited
www.ducksunlimited.com

Fishing Notes
www.fishingnotes.com

Hawaii Audubon Society
www.hawaiiaudubon.com

Sierra Club Hawaii
www.sierraclubhawaii.com




Sufi at the helm of Moe Moku