Hawai'i's fluvial systems: Using GIS to assess current conditions and identify management strategies in a changing climate

Ralph Tingley
Dana Infante
Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
Richard MacKenzie
USDA Forest Service, Institute of Pacific Islands Foresty, Hilo, HI
Robert Nishimoto
Division of Aquatic Resources, Honolulu, HI
James Parham
Parham and Associates Environmental Consulting, Gallatin, TN

Water Resources
Monday March 5, 2012 - 3:15 to 4:30 pm

During summer 2010, Michigan State University partnered with the Hawai'i Fish Habitat Partnership (HFHP) and other organizations to complete a state-wide assessment characterizing Hawai'i stream condition. This assessment, conducted in support of the National Fish Habitat Action Plan, followed a landscape approach and used best available GIS data to characterize disturbances to stream habitat. We sought expert knowledge from local partners to select anthropogenic disturbance datasets, which were attributed to local and network stream catchments associated with individual reaches of the 1:24K National Hydrography Dataset. For each reach, disturbances at both scales were combined into a single cumulative score. Results of this work are being incorporated into the Atlas of Hawaiian Watersheds and are also being used by NOAA to assess effects of inland disturbances on priority coastal habitat. Despite its immediate utility, a refinement to the assessment is under way. Currently, we are developing a landscape-based classification of the ecological potential of Hawaii stream reaches. This classification will incorporate natural landscape variables that are unalterable by humans and climate variables known to be important in structuring physical and biological characteristics of streams. We will use a multi-step process to select influential variables and will rely on biological data to ensure ecological meaning of resulting groups. With streams classified into specific groups, we can characterize vulnerability to climate change on a reach by reach basis. Additionally, we can use the classification to refine the condition assessment, allowing managers to consider disturbance in the context of stream type.

An Overview of the National Hydrography Dataset

Malie Beach-Smith
Hawaii Department of Health
Honolulu, HI

National Data Sets
Tuesday March 6, 2012 - 3:15 to 4:30 pm

The National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) is a comprehensive set of digital spatial data that contains information about surface water features such as lakes, ponds, streams, rivers, canals, dams and gages. Its rich set of attributes is continually maintained through system-wide revisions, a stewardship program, and contributions from the user community.

The NHD was designed to be simple enough for anyone with basic GIS skills to use, yet robust enough to allow for powerful geospatial analysis. These analyses are possible because the NHD contains a flow network that allows for tracing water upstream or downstream. It also provides a framework for linking scientific information such as water discharge rates, water quality, and aquatic population. These qualities give the NHD unique analytical powers for a number of scientific applications in the study of hydrology, pollution control, resource management, and fisheries biology.

This presentation will provide an overview of the structure of the NHD and its framework for linking scientific data to the NHD drainage network. Find out why the current generation of scientists and cartographers are adopting the National Hydrography Dataset as the standard for hydrography data. Hear how local partnerships continue to evolve this dataset to meet the challenges facing the earth sciences for the remainder of the century and beyond.