Photo By Ensign Greg Hall | 220811-N-OT701-1001 JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM (Aug. 11, 2022) A photo of the...... read more read more
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii – Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH), in partnership with the State of Hawaii, were the recipients of a $14,881,880 grant from the Department of Defense (DoD) through the REPI Challenge Program.
According to the DoD REPI website, the REPI Program is a key tool for combating encroachment that can limit or restrict military training, testing, and operations. While REPI’s primary mission is to protect military readiness, REPI also benefits the environment by conserving land near military installations and ranges.
“The State of Hawaii and the Navy have been working on this collaborative effort for a couple of years and have engaged in ongoing conversations to discuss a potential partnership and project that could benefit both agencies,” said Susie Fong, JBPHH REPI Program Manager. “We have been fine tuning the project and the scope of work to align with State of Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) goals of natural resource management and the Navy’s goals of long-term mission sustainment and operations. It has been an open dialogue between both agencies to talk through what sorts of details the project would entail and then inputting that information in a proposal that would score strongly against other proposals.”
This collaboration led to the development of long term plan that benefits JBPHH, but also leads to sustainability of Oahu’s only aquifer.
“The focus of the project is to safeguard drinking water supplies at JBPHH by protecting and restoring 7,155 acres of forested lands that replenish the Pearl Harbor Aquifer,” said Katie Roth, a planner with the Commission on Water Resource Management. “These native forests are the source of drinking water for Navy personnel at JBPHH and provide a buffer from major storm events that cause erosion and flooding.”
“The water in these aquifer systems is purified through years of percolating downward through soil and volcanic rock,” Roth said. “It takes approximately 20 years for rain to reach the aquifer. Oahu's native forests allow rainfall and mist to be captured and slowly infiltrate into the ground and replenish streams. Protection of the forests above JBPHH guarantees there will be water in the future, not just for JBPHH but also surrounding communities that rely on drinking water from the Honolulu Board of Water Supply and the perpetuation of traditional and customary practices that may rely on ground and surface water.”
Safeguarding the Pearl Harbor water supply is the desired result of the program, but there are several challenges that must be overcome.
“The project will protect and restore the native upland forests which are home to the island’s watersheds and aquifers,” said Fong. “The watershed is currently being destroyed by the presence of large amounts of ungulates. The effects of climate change are upon us and this along with the forest destruction by the ungulates is leading to decreased levels of aquifer recharge. Project restoration of these forests through removal of invasive plants and ungulates as well as outplanting of native species will provide for a healthier watershed that can more effectively recharge the aquifer and capture the groundwater.”
The long-term focus of the project has been broken down into short-term goals to help restore the Waiawa Watershed with native plant species.
Roth said the main focuses of the project are:
• The removal of ungulates (feral pigs) after completing the 1,400 acre Waiawa fence.
• Expanding the acres of invasive plant control into adjacent watersheds.
• Restoring areas with common, threatened and endangered native species.
• Constructing three ungulate-proof fences in the Waiau, Halawa, and Moanalua watersheds.
• Collecting aerial imagery and developing artificial-intelligence methods to detect, monitor and control invasive plants.
• Controlling the spread of the invasive pest Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle.
• Baseyard improvements and facility upgrades needed for project implementation.
Cooperation between multiple groups will be necessary for the successful implementation of this project. These organizations are committed to the preservation of the native environment.
Roth said that there are numerous conservation organizations participating in the Waiawa Watershed restoration and they include: the State of Hawaii Division of Forestry and Wildlife, the University of Hawaii, Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit, Koolau Mountains Watershed Partnership, the Oahu Invasive Species Committee and the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle Response Hawaii organization.
Securing sustainable sources of water is critical for people living on the world’s most isolated archipelago. Contributing to the viability of one of those sources of water directly impacts mission success.
“Allying Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam with our neighbors is the only way that we can be successful as an installation,” said Capt. Mark Sohaney, commander of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. We depend on these local communities for support, and look for ways that we can provide support in return. The REPI Challenge Program is an exciting way to directly impact our surrounding environment and create change that will have a lasting effect.”
| Date Taken: | 09.02.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 09.30.2022 17:03 |
| Story ID: | 430517 |
| Location: | HONOLULU, HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 193 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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