Recipe for Dead Coral: a long drought with just a touch of rain!

Clem Lam, a local architect and friend of KWP,took this photo last week after an unusual heavy rain on leeward Kohala.  This is the view of the sediments that got washed into the ocean. Yuck!

The connection between what happens on the land and what results in the ocean couldn’t be more clear. This coast is downslope from some of the worst feral-goat infested rangeland on the island.  The goats eat all the vegetation, and the bare ground becomes so hydrophobic (water-repellant) that a rainfall causes instant flash flooding. It sheets across the surface, pulling along not only the topsoil, but also tons of goat poop.  The thick, nutrient-rich slurry gets dumped into the ocean.  Even with strong currents to carry most of the sediments out to sea, even a fine dusting of grime on the corals can make them sick.

The work that KWP is doing on the Kawaihae watershed will have long-term positive impacts to the South Kohala coast, because we have created a 6,600 acre goat-free watershed area.  Without the goats, and if we can keep fires from taking hold, the land can recover!

Mahalo, Clem, for paying attention to the environment and sharing your images and concerns!