Maui Citizen Science Coastal Water Quality Data

A network of citizen science volunteers periodically monitored water quality at several beaches across the island of Maui in the State of Hawaii during the years 2010-2016. This community-based monitoring effort provided valuable data for resource management purposes. Informed volunteer networks can serve as a community's "eyes and ears" and will often provide the first indications of changes to a system. In addition to the value of early detection, it is important to maintain ongoing monitoring efforts to compile data and document resource conditions.

In addition to water temperature, salinity, turbidity (water clarity), and pH, sampling sites were also monitored for harmful bacteria levels of Enterococcus through 2014-06-26. This indicator bacteria has been correlated with the presence of human pathogens (disease-causing organisms) and therefore with human illnesses such as gastroenteritis, diarrhea, and various infections in epidemiological studies. As such, it is commonly measured in beach water quality monitoring programs. For reference, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 1986 Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Bacteria recommends that a water quality alert is posted if either: (a.) the latest water sample exceeds 104 CFU/100 mL of Enterococcus, or (b.) the geometric mean of the past 30 days of water samples exceeds 35 CFU/100 mL. One of the limitations of all available and EPA-approved test methods is that the sample must be incubated for about 24 hours.

Data were managed through an online repository, the Coral Reef Monitoring Data Portal (now defunct), developed and coordinated by the Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL) and its partners with funding provided by the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Data collection was coordinated by the Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR), the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary (HIHWNMS), Aquanimity Now, the Digital Bus, Save Honolua Coalition, Project S.E.A.-Link, and other local organizations and agencies. Data are publicly distributed by the Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS).