Nuʻupia Ponds’ Water Circulation Characteristics: Exploring Water Exchange and Residence Time for Marine Ecosystem Management

Paula Möhlenkamp (), Erik C. Franklin and Margaret A. McManus
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Paula Möhlenkamp: Department of Oceanography, University of Hawaiʻi Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
Erik C. Franklin: Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa, Kāneʻohe, HI 96744, USA
Margaret A. McManus: Department of Oceanography, University of Hawaiʻi Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 16, 1-36

Abstract: Nuʻupia Ponds, a traditional Hawaiian fishpond system, are located at Marine Corps Base Hawaiʻi (MCBH) and part of the Nuʻupia Ponds Wildlife Management Area, a wetland refuge for native, endangered, and protected birds and Hawaiian green sea turtles, as well as many native fish species. Currently, there is uncertainty regarding the ecological status and condition of the fishponds following prior modification of wetland habitats in and around the ponds. This study examines circulation dynamics and characterizes water exchange, pond volume, and residence time across the full tidal spectrum at the Nuʻupia fishponds. Our results indicate a general west to east gradient in current flow; with higher flushing rates and lower residence times of fishponds in the western ponds of the Nuʻupia system compared to the eastern ponds. We further found low flushing rates at several sites causing limited water exchange with Kāneʻohe Bay, as well as within the Nuʻupia Pond system. Sufficient water circulation plays a fundamental role in maintaining a healthy balance of fishpond flora and fauna and preserving ecosystem health. The results from this study provide a baseline for current physical water circulation dynamics and implications for ecosystem health, as well as informing science-based conservation and management strategies moving forward.

Keywords: circulation dynamics; water volume exchange; residence time; conservation ecology; science-based management; Native Hawaiian fishpond (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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