Assessing Water Quality in Ka`ehu Bay Using Indigenous Practices

Project Summary

KAʻEHU, a local nonprofit organization stewarding 64 acres of coastal wetland and beach within  Kāʻehu Bay on the north-central coast of Maui, Hawaiʻi. Kāʻehu Bay is a historically sacred place  of healing and agricultural cultivation, including fishponds, loʻi, and lauhala groves. Historic water diversion and modern development have altered natural hydrology, leading to degraded water quality, high sediment loads, and reduced water clarity. 

KAʻEHU’s long-term goal is to restore the land and perpetuate traditional Hawaiian culture  through an inclusive, community-based approach to environmental stewardship and sustainable  agriculture. The community’s guiding question for this project was: How does Kāʻehu Bay’s freshwater and saline water quality change in response to surrounding river discharge and land use change? 

To address this question, the project focused on developing a consistent water-quality  monitoring framework within Kāʻehu Bay and its contributing waterways. Project activities  included refining monitoring locations on the property (parameters measured included: pH, oxygen, turbidity, nitrates, silicates, and salinity) and collecting Indigenous stories and  community observations about historic water conditions and cultural uses of the bay. Scientific  monitoring was intentionally paired with cultural knowledge to better understand the relationship  between water, ecosystem health, and Kānaka Maoli values.

KAʻEHU collaborated with Thriving Earth Exchange to connect with a local water-quality expert  from the UHMC Water Quality Laboratory, who provided guidance on monitoring design and  data collection, and intends to continue to do so. 

By the end of the project, KAʻEHU had access to water-quality and historical observation  databases and the tools needed to continue monitoring into the future. The project supports  KAʻEHU’s broader restoration efforts and 2023 master plan goals focused on healing, restoring natural land processes, and building community capacity. 

Estimated participation included 1,800 community members engaged across monitoring activities, interviews, and/or presentations. This project was shared at the annual AGU 2026 meeting through a poster presentation, and a short documentary was created about KA’EHU.

Project Outputs:

• AGU25 Poster

• Media Coverage by Thriving Earth Exchange
• Discussions were held at the Maui County Makahiki Celebration with community members on our work concerning indigenous Hawaiian stewardship practices

Community Impact

In the short term, this project strengthened relationships and visibility for KAʻEHU’s restoration work. The reestablishment of collaboration with the UHMC Water Quality Laboratory provided immediate technical support and renewed a trusted local scientific partnership. Community engagement increased through hands-on monitoring activities, interviews, and site visits, including participation by student groups, which supported both education and intergenerational  knowledge exchange. The project also generated positive outreach outcomes, including public facing events, media engagement, and a video highlighting KAʻEHU’s stewardship efforts, helping elevate community voices and cultural context beyond the site itself. 

Longer-term impacts: 

Over the longer term, the community now has a repeatable, culturally grounded framework for ongoing water-quality monitoring within Kaʻehu Bay. Access to organized water-quality and  historical observation datasets enables KAʻEHU to track changes over time, evaluate restoration  progress, and support science-informed decision-making related to land and water  management. This work positions the organization to integrate future data across seasons and  restoration phases, pursue additional funding, and contribute local observations to broader coastal and watershed science efforts. Importantly, the project builds lasting local capacity by equipping community members with the tools, knowledge, and partnerships needed to sustain monitoring independently, ensuring that restoration decisions remain guided by both scientific evidence and Kānaka Maoli values. 

Acknowledgements

KAʻEHU would like to acknowledge the support from the Kansas State University Center for  Hazardous Substances Research and Tribal TAB program, especially Michaela Shirley, Cuauhtemoc Landeros, and Oral Saulters. As well as, the AGU Storytelling and Team Three LLC members for featuring KAʻEHU’s work.  

KAʻEHU would also like to acknowledge the many agencies, organizations, and individuals that work with them to forward their missions. They are listed below: 

• Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society 
• Hawaii State Department of Aquatic Resources (DAR): DAR conducts education and  water testing at multiple sites on Maui. KAʻEHU works with their team on expanding water quality testing here on lands and shorelines of the Ka’ehu.  
• Maui Huliau: KAʻEHU’s connection with this organization will be working on the digital  storytelling and collection of interviews and stories and the elders of these lands. 
• Maui Nui Marine Resource Council: Focus upon the restoration of marine ecology on Maui, KAʻEHU’s connection with this organization will be expanding monitoring within Ka’ehu Bay itself. 
• Kauahea Incorporated: KAʻEHU’s  partner organization, Kauahea focuses upon cultural and  historical practices within native Hawaiian culture. 
• Native Hawaiian Philanthropy: A funding partner, NHP is a community-based organization focused on long-term strategic and sustainable funding for grassroots organizations.  
• Planning Innovative Kommunities & Opportunities 
• University of Hawaii, Mānoa 
• Kansas State University Center for Hazardous Substances Research 

Future Plans

KAʻEHU will continue their work monitoring water quality around their property, holding cultural  and community events, and continue to secure funding and connections towards their 2023 master strategic plan. Future plans include and are not limited to: installing more sensors within Kaehu bay to understand sedimentation properties, restoration of more of the flora around their agricultural canals, and continued community events that bring the public to the property.

About the Community

KAʻEHU is a local nonprofit organization run by a small team of dedicated staff that steward 64 acres of coastal wetland and beach on the North-Central coast of Maui, Hawaiʻi, within Kāʻehu Bay. The location is historically a sacred place of healing and agricultural cultivation, including fishponds, a lauhala grove, and lo’i (shallow water irrigated terraces). Historic water diversion and modern development have negatively affected water flow through the bay. Unnatural levels of sediment make water visibility and flow poor. The team works with many local volunteer groups and other non-profit organizations to both mālama (care) for the space together and provide a place of connection to the ‘āina (land). 

The organization’s long-term goal is to “restore the land and perpetuate traditional Hawaiian culture by utilizing an inclusive community-based and family-oriented approach to environmental stewardship and sust’āinable agriculture.” To this end, they want to implement a water monitoring program for the ‘āina and its surrounding waikai (water, both fresh and saline) as they restore the area to its traditional state and build a cultural education center. They are working with TEX to find a local expert who can assist the team in their water quality monitoring. 

Since its establishment in 2012, KAʻEHU has worked to restore the bay and coastal wetlands to its natural state. In 2021, KAʻEHU solicited input from community stakeholders through meetings and interviews to inform their master plans. In May 2023, the master plan was finalized, with three goals: 1) Puʻuhonua: A place of refuge for health and healing; 2) E hoʻi i ka ʻāina: Returning the land to its natural state; and 3) Waiwai: Building Community Connectedness and Cultural Capacity. In 2024, major changes were made to the community’s physical and administrative landscape. 

Additional background on the community and existing issue:

• Hawaii Supreme Court Overrule
• Earth Justice Article about West Maui Water
• Harvard Review Article: Kānāwai From Ahi

About the Project 

The Paukūkalo and Waiʻehu communities aim to restore and steward Kaʻehu Bay by improving their understanding of local water systems and sharing knowledge with stakeholders. To support this, they will partner with experts to monitor key water quality indicators, such as depth, turbidity, flow speed, and pH. Three monitoring sites — two at freshwater springs and one near the Waiʻale River — will collect data twice weekly, with additional sampling before and after storms. Findings will be stored in an organized database and analyzed to identify patterns, especially changes in stream discharge, and shared with the public via an online platform.

This initiative also emphasizes cultural education and youth mentorship. High school students will work alongside STEM professionals, gaining hands-on experience in environmental science. Additionally, community members will learn traditional olis (chants) and historic water stewardship practices, deepening their connection to the land. Key partners include Hui o Nā Wai ʻEhā, local universities, Hawaiian homestead associations, government agencies, and cultural organizations such as Kanaeokana and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Timeline and Milestones

December 2024: Complete the project description.

January 2025: Begin Search for Scientists.

February 2025: Search for Scientists.

March 2025: (If a scientist is found): Establish a schedule and priority list of goals for monitoring with the scientist. Get initial measurements.

April 2025: Monitor and adjust accordingly. 

May 2025: Monitor and adjust accordingly. 

June 2025: Data analysis of the first three months. Continue monitoring. 

June 2025:  Monitor and adjust accordingly. 

July 2025: Monitor and adjust accordingly. Start working on a public database for observations. 

August 2025: Start working on a public database for observations. 

September 2025: Continue monitoring. Start a written plan and protocol to pass on to the next leader in water monitoring.

October 2025: Community event planning – potentially host school children to learn about water quality

November 2025: Complete the database with data from the past year and debut it to community stakeholders. 

December 2025: Teach staff new protocol and troubleshoot equipment. 

January 2026:  If desired, help staff find another member to help with monitoring to ensure there is no break in monitoring. 

February 2026:  Support remotely with database and analysis.  

March 2026: Support remotely with database and analysis.  

Community Leaders  

Keolamau Tengan is Ka`ehu Director of Organizational Development. There are places we are raised, and then there are the places that raise us. A son of Waiʻehu, Keolamau Tengan grew up playing upon the shore of Kaʻehu Bay.  Having pilina with this place, Keolamau takes his kuleana of stewardship as a priority to support in revitalizing the lands, restoring the waters, and doing his part to uplift the community of this ʻāina. 

With a background in both nonprofit and entrepreneurialism, Keolamau brings his unique experience and perspective to further support KAʻEHU in the great work that has and continues to happen. With the vision of a Puʻuhonua at KAʻEHU, Keolamauʻs brings with him a desire to be of service, experience within community, and aspiration to be a great ancestor for generations to come into his daily work.

Danae Marin, Ka`ehu Director of Community Engagement, is a new and great help to the Kaehu. She helps to lead community work days and plan native plant restoration efforts. 

Lohelani Furtado-Gaspar, Ka`ehu Director of Cultural Education, grew up on the island of Oʻahu in the ahupuaʻa of Kalihi. A proud 2019 graduate of Ke Kula Kaiapuni o Ānuenue, a Hawaiian immersion school nestled in the back of Pālolo Valley, Lohelani began her cultural education journey at Ānuenue, where she immersed herself in the Hawaiian language and cultural practices from a young age.

Her connection to Kaʻehu began in 2016 as a haumāna (student), and she returned each summer, steadily embracing more kuleana (responsibility). By 2020, she joined Kaʻehu full-time and now serves as the Director of Cultural Education.

Lohelani holds a Master’s degree in Social Work and is dedicated to uplifting her community through cultural education and land stewardship. She believes Kaʻehu is a vital resource for the community, offering a space to come together, connect with culture, and get grounded through ʻāina (land).

Community Scientist

Crystal Henkel is the Water Quality Laboratory Director at University of Hawaiʻi Maui College. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Drexel University and a Master of Science in Marine Science from Hawaiʻi Pacific University on Oʻahu. Crystal is passionate about supporting restoration efforts on Maui and brings her expertise in water chemistry to environmental research. She supports the Kaʻehu team by providing laboratory support and conducting nutrient analysis that helps inform their hydrology study.

Community Science Fellow

Richelle Moskvichev is a research scientist within the School of Ocean Earth Sciences and Technology at UH Mānoa. She holds a Bachelors of Science in Physics and Computer Science. Growing up in Kapolei Oʻahu, she is passionate about environmental stewardship and a climate forward future for Hawai’i. She supports the Kaʻehu team remotely by providing technical and administrative support in their hydrology study.