A CATASTROPHIC RAIN EVENT BEGINNING WITH HAWAI'I ISLAND is forecast by National Weather Service, beginning with Hawaii Island on Sunday morning. "Rain events of this size can affect areas that do not usually flood." A Flood Watch, for the State and Island of Hawaii remains in effect through Tuesday. Due to the Flood Watch, conditions are favorable for flash flooding and the followingare
issued by Hawai'i County Civil Defense:
All residents in flood prone areas are asked to remain alert for flooding conditions and to take this time to prepare and address any flooding concerns.
Sandbags will be delivered for active flooding contact Civil Defense at 935-0031.
Remember, if lightning threatens your area, the safest place to be is indoors.
Do not cross fast flowing water in your vehicle or on foot, turn around don't drown.
In addition the following conditions continue: A High Wind Warning and Blizzard Warning for the Summits of Hawaii Island and a Wind Advisory for the rest of Hawai'i Island through Monday.
Due to the Wind Advisory the following are issued: Secure outdoor items; prepare for utility outages.
be aware for debris on roadways and road closures without notice; and limit travel to necessary needs.
High Surf has been upgraded to Warning Levels through Monday for the coastal areas of North Kona, North and South Kohala, Hamakua and Hilo. Expect strong breaking waves, shorebreak, and strong currents making swimming difficult and dangerous.
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Read all of The Kaʻū Calendar and back issues at www.kaucalendar.com. Find it in the mail from Volcano through Pāhala, Nāʻālehu, Ocean View to Miloli'i. Pick it up from newsstands. |
Due to the High Surf Warning the following are issued: Secure all property and vessels prior to the arrival of large surf and follow the direction of Ocean Safety Officials.
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THE NATURE CONSERVANCY is welcoming Makaleʻa Ane to its Hawai'i and Palmyra team as its new Marine Community Program Manager. Ane has more than two decades of experience working with indigenous communities and government agencies on ocean and coastal conservation issues for the public, private and non-profit sectors across Hawaiʻi – including with partners at Puʻu Kukui Watershed Preserve and Coral Reef Alliance.
She most recently served as a County Resilience Officer in Hawai'i, where she was responsible for
bringing together a wide array of partners and stakeholders to build support for and implement climate resilience, adaptation and mitigation initiatives across Maui Nui. In her work, she highlighted the importance of nature-based and indigenous solutions to climate change, the effects of climate change on indigenous practices, and the integration of solutions for nature and people into countywide policy and planning. |
| Makale'a Ane is The Nature Conservancy's new Marine Community Program Manager for Hawai'i and Palmyra. Photo from TNC |
Ane earned her degree in Zoology from Oregon State University before launching her career in environmental research and preservation. She has a diverse background, having worked for the Environmental Protection Agency, National Forest Service, as well as various private and non-profit organizations. Ane also started her own Hawaiian cultural Eco-Tour company creating a network of businesses that promote environmental restoration, cultural revitalization, and sustainable tourism. She also helped found the Living Pono Project, a nonprofit that provides educational resources to K-12 students with an emphasis on perpetuating Hawaiian culture through environmental restoration, as well as post-secondary education, employment opportunities, and everyday living assistance to adults with disabilities.
As a Hawaiian born, she said her "passion for the environment and interest in conservation management is innate. Growing up I surfed with my dad, paddled canoe with my sister, and worked in the lo'i (taro patch) with my aunty. I'm excited for this amazing opportunity to combine my passion for the environment and cultural knowledge to help manage and restore coral reefs, nearshore fisheries, and coastal systems across our islands."
A CLOUD OF TEN THOUSAND POINTS SCANS HALEMA'UMA'U, says this week's Volcano Watch written by USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates:
Scientists at the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory largely rely on aerial data collection for making maps of ongoing eruptions at Kīlauea. Most commonly, scientists collect a series of overlapping aerial photos (optical or thermal).
A technique called structure-from-motion then uses motion parallax to construct a two-dimensional map or three-dimensional model of the area by matching the same features across multiple images.
HVO’s aerial photography is typically done during helicopter overflights, which are limited by budget, weather, and aircraft availability. Since 2018, small unoccupied aircraft systems (sUAS, or “drones”) have augmented the helicopter overflights to some degree, but they have their own limitations as well. While both of these techniques are excellent for making maps and topographic models, understanding some processes requires even more detailed surveys conducted from the ground.
The modern workhorse for ground surveying is terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) using light detection and ranging (LiDAR) instruments. LiDAR may sound familiar to longtime "Volcano Watch" readers, because
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| The first Pāhala Elementary Drive-Thru Holiday Light Show was a dream of Josh Ortega, who will make it happen again this year on Friday, Dec. 17 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Kids will receive a treat. Photo by Julia Neal |
A DRIVE-THRU HOLIDAY LIGHT SHOW will be held on Friday, Dec. 17 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Pāhala Elementary. It is sponsored by the school, Kaʻū High Athletics, County Parks & Recreation and O Kaʻū Kakou. Children will receive treats during the drive-thru. The event was held last year for the first time and accommodated COVID restrictions. A long line of cars wound through the campus to see all of the decorations and lights.
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THE NAVY'S HANDLING OF DRINKING WATER TAINTED BY FUEL for thousands of people on O'ahu has the attention of the While House, according to Sen. Brian Schatz, who said on Saturday that he has informed the Biden Administration, which has offered to help.
Schatz said he is angry angry about the military fuel in the drinking water at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. "This is totally unacceptable. They said this would never happen. This has to be treated like a nuclear reactor, not a piece of old infrastructure." The Navy set up some 800 hotel rooms off base for those unable to stay in military housing during the water crisis. Navy officials said there are 50,000 to 60,000 of bottled water available every day.
Red Hill military fuel storage facility is the expected source of the contamination, according to the Navy and the state Department of Health. Several water wells in the area, on O'ahu, have been shut down as a precaution during the cleanup.
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Scientists at the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory largely rely on aerial data collection for making maps of ongoing eruptions at Kīlauea. Most commonly, scientists collect a series of overlapping aerial photos (optical or thermal).
A technique called structure-from-motion then uses motion parallax to construct a two-dimensional map or three-dimensional model of the area by matching the same features across multiple images.
HVO’s aerial photography is typically done during helicopter overflights, which are limited by budget, weather, and aircraft availability. Since 2018, small unoccupied aircraft systems (sUAS, or “drones”) have augmented the helicopter overflights to some degree, but they have their own limitations as well. While both of these techniques are excellent for making maps and topographic models, understanding some processes requires even more detailed surveys conducted from the ground.
The modern workhorse for ground surveying is terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) using light detection and ranging (LiDAR) instruments. LiDAR may sound familiar to longtime "Volcano Watch" readers, because
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| A composite of the point clouds resulting from HVO’s terrestrial laser scanning surveys of Halemaʻumaʻu crater since January 2021, viewed from the southwest. The central region of the crater, including the lava lake, is reliably captured in all surveys. Further afield the point clouds become sparser, as the laser reflections from such distances and angles escape detection by the instrument. Inset frame: The terrestrial laser scanning instrument rotates through a scan on the south rim of Halemaʻumaʻu on June 10, 2021. USGS images |
the basic technique was described in a November 2020 article that discussed an aerial LiDAR survey at Kīlauea. TLS surveys are similar, with a ground-based instrument emitting laser pulses and measuring their return times after reflecting off topographic features.
TLS surveys work best when there is a substantial amount of topographic relief, providing the instrument with good line-of-sight views of distant features. The current lava lake provides an ideal situation because scanning can be done from the crater rim, looking down on the eruptive features. Both the December 2020–May 2021 and September 2021–present eruptions in Halemaʻumaʻu crater have been surveyed using TLS LiDAR.
HVO does not have a TLS LiDAR instrument of its own to survey the growing lava lake, so some colleagues have lent a helping hand. The team at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL)—who had previously collaborated on a TLS study of the 2008-2018 Halemaʻumaʻu lava lake—loaned HVO a TLS LiDAR instrument shortly after the onset of the eruption in December 2020.
CRREL’s LiDAR instrument is a Class 1 laser product, meaning that the laser pulses are safe for the eyes of bystanders and any nearby wildlife (some higher-power instruments require safeguards). For each scan, the LiDAR instrument is set up on survey tripod to rotate through 360 degrees over the course of approximately 15 minutes. These scans produce “point clouds,” which are digital collections of reflection points in three-dimensional space, depicting topographic features.
HVO scientists have completed eight TLS surveys of Halemaʻumaʻu since January. Most of these surveys involve visits to the west and south rims of the crater, for at least one scan from each direction. On two occasions, the instrument has been taken to the edge of the eastern down-dropped block within the 2018 collapse crater, for scans at closer range to the lava lake.
The point clouds from HVO’s TLS surveys at Halemaʻumaʻu have allowed scientists to build high-resolution digital elevation models of the crater and lava lake. The unmatched accuracy can record detailed topography as small as 5 millimeters (0.2 inches), from a distance up to 2.5 kilometers (1.6 miles) away. In comparison, most aerial photography from HVO helicopter overflights will yield a resolution of approximately 1 meter (yard).
LiDAR also avoids misalignment errors that can warp structure-from-motion models and further decrease their accuracy. This is because LiDAR is a “direct” measurement technique, with the laser pulses actually reflecting back from the measured features. In fact, HVO uses the TLS LiDAR data to help calibrate the structure-from-motion datasets for the Halemaʻumaʻu eruptions, improving their accuracy.
HVO hopes to obtain its own TLS LiDAR instrument in the near future, which will open up even more
research possibilities using this technology. But in the meantime, we sincerely thank the team at the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory for their ongoing assistance in studying the eruptive activity at Kīlauea.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.TLS surveys work best when there is a substantial amount of topographic relief, providing the instrument with good line-of-sight views of distant features. The current lava lake provides an ideal situation because scanning can be done from the crater rim, looking down on the eruptive features. Both the December 2020–May 2021 and September 2021–present eruptions in Halemaʻumaʻu crater have been surveyed using TLS LiDAR.
HVO does not have a TLS LiDAR instrument of its own to survey the growing lava lake, so some colleagues have lent a helping hand. The team at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL)—who had previously collaborated on a TLS study of the 2008-2018 Halemaʻumaʻu lava lake—loaned HVO a TLS LiDAR instrument shortly after the onset of the eruption in December 2020.
CRREL’s LiDAR instrument is a Class 1 laser product, meaning that the laser pulses are safe for the eyes of bystanders and any nearby wildlife (some higher-power instruments require safeguards). For each scan, the LiDAR instrument is set up on survey tripod to rotate through 360 degrees over the course of approximately 15 minutes. These scans produce “point clouds,” which are digital collections of reflection points in three-dimensional space, depicting topographic features.
HVO scientists have completed eight TLS surveys of Halemaʻumaʻu since January. Most of these surveys involve visits to the west and south rims of the crater, for at least one scan from each direction. On two occasions, the instrument has been taken to the edge of the eastern down-dropped block within the 2018 collapse crater, for scans at closer range to the lava lake.
The point clouds from HVO’s TLS surveys at Halemaʻumaʻu have allowed scientists to build high-resolution digital elevation models of the crater and lava lake. The unmatched accuracy can record detailed topography as small as 5 millimeters (0.2 inches), from a distance up to 2.5 kilometers (1.6 miles) away. In comparison, most aerial photography from HVO helicopter overflights will yield a resolution of approximately 1 meter (yard).
LiDAR also avoids misalignment errors that can warp structure-from-motion models and further decrease their accuracy. This is because LiDAR is a “direct” measurement technique, with the laser pulses actually reflecting back from the measured features. In fact, HVO uses the TLS LiDAR data to help calibrate the structure-from-motion datasets for the Halemaʻumaʻu eruptions, improving their accuracy.
HVO hopes to obtain its own TLS LiDAR instrument in the near future, which will open up even more
research possibilities using this technology. But in the meantime, we sincerely thank the team at the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory for their ongoing assistance in studying the eruptive activity at Kīlauea.
AN EARTHQUAKE REPORTED AS A 3.7 near the Norfolk pine lane of Maile Street coming into Pāhala from Hwy 11, has been changed to a 3.5 by USGS. The quake sent a jolt through Pāhala at 8:43 p.m. on Saturday.
KAʻŪ COFFEE MILL & VISITOR CENTER. Buy online at kaucoffeemill.com and in person at 96-2694 Wood Valley Road, daily, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
PUNALUʻU BAKESHOP online at bakeshophawaii.com and in-person 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week in x.
ALIʻI HAWAIʻI HULA HANDS COFFEE. Order by calling 928-0608 or emailing alihhhcoffee@yahoo.com.
AIKANE PLANTATION COFFEE COMPANY. Order online at aikaneplantation.com. Call 808-927-2252
MIRANDA'S FARMS KAʻŪ COFFEE. Order online at mirandafarms.com or, in person at 73-7136 Mamalahoa Hwy. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com..
KUAHIWI RANCH STORE, in person. Shop weekdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, 11 am to 3 p.m. at 95-5520 Hwy 11. Locally processed grass-fed beef, live meat chickens, and feed for cattle, goats, sheep, chickens, horses, dogs, and pigs. Call 929-7333 of 938-1625, email kaohi@kuahiwiranch.com.
DEPRESSED, ANXIOUS, NEED SOMEONE TO TALK TO? Call Department of Health's expanded Hawai‘i C.A.R.E.S. program at 1-800-753-6879 – the same number previously used by Crisis Line of Hawai‘i. Individuals in crisis can also text ALOHA to 741741, available 24/7.
LEARN SELF-CARE THROUGH Big Island Substance Abuse Council's Practice Self-Care Series. For additional series that feature refreshing wellness tips, follow the Behavioral Health & Homelessness Statewide Unified Response Group at facebook.com/bhhsurg
WOMEN'S COLLECTIVE OFFERS HEALTH PROGRAMS. Piko focuses on reproductive health; increasing access, respect, cultural competence, education, and choice. Pilina aims to grow membership and establish a culture of collaborative decision-making. Follow @kau_womens_health_collective. Contact rootsmedieshawaii@gmail.com. Call 808-450-0498.
YOGA WITH EMILY Catey Weiss, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. at Volcano Art Center Niʻaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Advanced registration required; $5 per class. volcanoartcenter.org/events, 967-8222.
CHOOSE ALOHA FOR HOME is available to families, to provide a healthy way to grow together using neuroscience and positive psychology. Program uses a series of self-guided videos, activities, and "dinner table discussion topics." Sign up at chooselovemovement.org/choose-love-home.
EDUCATION
Register for Boys & Girls Club Mobile Outreach and Tutoring Programs at rb.gy/o1o2hy. For keiki grades 1-6. Contact Boys & Girls Club of the Big Island Administrative Office, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at (808) 961-5536 or email mobiletutoring@bgcbi.org or info@bgcbi.org.
ʻOhana Help Desk offers online How-To Guides for Chromebooks and iPads at rb.gy/8er9wm. ʻOhana Help Desk also available by phone, weekdays, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Invite Park Rangers to Virtually Visit Classes, through connecting with teachers and home-schoolers with distance learning programs and virtual huakaʻi (field trips). Contact havo_education@nps.gov.
Public Libraries are open for WiFi, pick-up, and other services. Nāʻālehu open Monday and Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pāhala open Tuesday, noon to 7 p.m., Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., limited entry into library with Wiki Visits. Schedule a Library Take Out time at picktime.com/hspls. Open for library card account help and reference assistance from the front door. WiFi available to anyone with a library card, from each library parking lot. See librarieshawaii.org.
Free Book Exchanges, at laundromats in Ocean View and Nāʻālehu, provided by Friends of the Kaʻū Libraries. Open to all. Keep the books, pass them on to other readers, or return them. Selection of books replenished weekly at both sites.
Read Report on Public Input about Disaster Recovery from damage during the 2018 Kīlauea eruption.View the Civic Engagement and Comment Analysis Report at rb.gy/awu65k.
Learn About Hawaiʻi's History & Culture through Papakilo Database, papakilodatabase.com.
Virtual Workshops on Hawaiʻi's Legislative Processes through Public Access Room. Sign up by contacting (808) 587-0478 or par@capitol.hawaii.gov. Ask questions and discuss all things legislative in a non-partisan environment. Attend Coffee Hour with PAR: Fridays at 3 p.m. on Zoom, meeting ID 990 4865 9652 or click zoom.us/j/99048659652. PAR staff will be available to answer questions and to discuss the legislative process. Anyone wanting to listen in without taking part in discussions is welcome. Learn more at lrb.hawaii.gov/public-access-room.
Online Directory at shopbigisland.com, co-sponsored by County of Hawai‘i, has a signup sheet for local businesses to fill in the blanks. The only requirement is a physical address on this island.
COMMUNITY
Food Assistance: Apply for The Volcano School of Arts & Sciences COVID-19 Family Relief Funds. Funded by Volcano Community Association, and members of the VSAS Friends and Governing Boards, who have donated, the fund supplies KTA or Dimple Cheek Gift Cards, or gift cards to other locally owned business, to VSAS families in need. Contact Kim Miller at 985-8537, kmiller@volcanoschool.net. Contributions to the fund can be sent in by check to: VSAS, PO Box 845, Volcano, HI 96785 – write Relief Fund in the memo. See volcanoschool.net
ENROLL CHILDREN, from first through eighth grade, in Kula ʻAmakihi, a program from Volcano School of the Arts & Sciences. It started Aug. 3. Call 808-985- 9800 or visit www.volcanoschool.net.
WALK THROUGH A GUIDED NATURE TRAIL & Sculpture Garden, Mondays, 9:30 a.m. at Volcano Art Center Niʻaulani Campus in Volcano Village. No reservations for five or fewer – limited to ten people. Free; donations appreciated. Email programs@volcanoartcenter.org. Garden is open to walk through at one's own pace, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. www.volcanoartcenter.org. Call 967-8222.
KAʻŪ ART GALLERY is open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. in Nāʻālehu. It features and sells works by local artists and offers other gift items. "We are always looking to collaborate with local artists in our community," said assistant Alexandra Kaupu. Artists with an interest in being featured at Kaʻū Art Gallery and Gift Shop, contact gallery owner and director Corrine Kaupu at kauartgallery@hawaiiantel.biz.
GOLF & MEMBERSHIPS for Discovery Harbour Golf Course and its Clubhouse: The Club offers Social Memberships, with future use of the clubhouse and current use of the pickleball courts as well as walking and running on specified areas of the golf course before 8 a.m. and after 3 p.m. to enjoy the panoramiocean views. Golf memberships range from unlimited play for the avid golfer to casual play options. Membership is required to play and practice golf on the course. All golf memberships include Social Membership amenities. Membership fees are designed to help underwrite programs and improvements to the facilities.Call 808-731-5122 or stop by the Clubhouse during business hours, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily at 94-1581 Kaulua Circle. Email clubatdiscoveryharbour@gmail.com. See The Club at Discovery Harbour Facebook page.
ALOHA FRIDAY MARKETPLACE, hosted by Main Street, is from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., grounds of The Old Shirakawa Estate in Waiʻohinu. It features: Made in Hawai'i Products, Organic Produce, Creative Crafts, ARt, Flower and Plants, Food, Ka`u Coffee, Gluen Free Low Carb Goodies, Wellness Services and Products, Clothing, Hand Crafted Treats, Music and more. Vendor and customer inquiries: AlohaFridayMarket@gmail.com.
VOLCANO FARMERS MARKET, Cooper Center, Volcano Village on Sundays. 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with much local produce, baked goods, food to go, island beef and Hawai‘i Coffee. Cooper Center's EBT Machine, used at the Farmer's Market, is out of service until further notice. EBT is used for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly Food Stamps. Call 808-967-7800.
OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY MARKET, open Saturdays and Thursdays, 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., on the corner of Kona Drive and Highway 11, where Thai Grindz is located. Managed by Mark Council. Masks mandatory. 100-person limit, social distancing required. Gate unlocked for vendors at 5:30 a.m., $15 dollars, no reservations needed. Parking in upper lot only. Vendors must provide own sanitizer. Food vendor permits required. Carpooling encouraged.
O KAʻŪ KĀKOU MARKET, in Nāʻālehu, open Wednesday, and Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon. Limit of 50 customers per hour, 20 vendor booths, with 20 feet of space between vendors. Masks and hand sanitizing required, social distancing enforced. Contact Sue Barnett, OKK Market Manager, at 808-345-9374 (voice or text) or kaufarmer@aol.com for more and to apply to vend. See facebook.com/OKauKakouMarket.
OCEAN VIEW SWAP MEET is open at Ocean View makai shopping center, near Mālama Market. Hours for patrons are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Vendor set-up time is 5 a.m. Masks required.
BUY LOCAL GIFTS ONLINE, IN-PERSON
VOLCANO ART CENTER ONLINE, in person. Shop at Niʻaulani Campus in Volcano Village, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Gallery in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, open Wednesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Virtual Shopping Appointments offered via Skype or FaceTime. Book at volcanoartcenter.org/shop for $5. Shop online gallery 24/7. Orders shipped or free local pickup available. See the VAC Virtual Classroom, which features over 90 videos. See volcanoartcenter.org/events, call 967-8222.
