By COLIN M. STEWART By COLIN M. STEWART ADVERTISING Tribune-Herald staff writer East Hawaii’s bountiful natural resources are largely defined by water, and a new program is aimed at keeping that water pure for generations to come. “We do have
By COLIN M. STEWART
Tribune-Herald staff writer
East Hawaii’s bountiful natural resources are largely defined by water, and a new program is aimed at keeping that water pure for generations to come.
“We do have a lot of rain here,” said District Conservationist Jessica Newpher with the Hilo Service Center of the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. “But if you’re not protecting the water … the high rainfalls do create a bit of a problem. You can get a lot of sediment and other things in the water. … We want to conserve our resources so they’re sustainable for farmers. We want them to be able to continue to produce their commodities, to maintain them.”
To that end, the USDA announced last week that nearly a dozen small watersheds on Hawaii Island will benefit from an influx of a little more than $433,000 to make assistance available this year to farmers, ranchers and forest owners to keep water sources on their property free of foreign matter, like sediment or bacteria. The funding comes through the agency’s National Water Quality Initiative.
Individuals in Hawaii County have until June 21 to sign up for the program, and must be able to show how they will benefit from the assistance, Newpher said.
“We have to be able to see the resource concern,” she said. “It’s limited to eligible producers, somebody who’s producing a commodity crop, and then we’ll come in and observe.”
Those who qualify will receive help installing waste-treatment facilities, nutrient-management systems, cover crops, filter strips, terraces, and other methods designed to either monitor or prevent foreign substances from entering water sources.
Water quality issues can arise from a variety of causes, Newpher said, including heavy rainfall and floods that wash soils into streams, or livestock that drink from streams and introduce manure into the water while doing so.
“The focus, in this case, is helping people manage their water quality issues,” she said. “Some people may not be managing their waste properly, with manure from animals going into the water. They need help to know how to properly dispose of the waste. Or their livestock may be watering out of the stream, and that allows them to deposit matter in the water. We can help by fencing off the stream, or helping them get water from another source, like from the county system.”
The USDA worked with a number of partners to select the watersheds in need of protection on the island, picking nine in total. They include: Waiaama Gulch, Waipahoehoe Gulch, Wailuku River, Honolii Stream, Kapue Stream, Waiakea Stream, Puumakaala, Olaa Forest and the Puna Forest Reserve.
All nine watersheds impact Hilo Bay, with six flowing directly into it, according to a release from the NRCS.
“We are pleased to have the approval of this new area for additional funding,” said Angel Figueroa, NRCS director for the Pacific Islands Area. “We are hoping that eligible farmers and ranchers within this boundary will seek the assistance from our office in Hilo.”
Interested applicants should contact Newpher at the USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, located at 154 Waianuenue Avenue, Hilo, Hawaii 96720.
For more information about NRCS’ programs, initiatives and services in Pacific Island Area, visit www.pia.nrcs.usda.gov.
Email Colin M. Stewart at cstewart@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
