PROJECT ALERT NOTICE (HI) Hurricane Lane Post-event Activities Continue

Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2018 22:14:20 EDT

Summary: USGS crews collecting post-event data as heavy rainfall finally leaves Hawaii

Hurricane (and later Tropical Storm) Lane impacted all of the Hawaiian islands, but the islands of Hawaii, Maui and Kauai had the worst flooding by far. Serious flooding on Kauai didn't end until late Tuesday at some locations monitored by USGS.

Gages with peak flows of note include Wainiha River near Hanalei on Kauai, which recorded the second highest peak in it's 64-year record (highest peak was 4 months ago); Hanalei River near Hanalei, which has had four ~5-year recurrence flood events in the last 10 months; and South Fork of Wailua River near Lihue, Kauai which has had three 2-5 year floods and one 10-25 year flood event in the last 10 months.

No gages appear to have been damaged or destroyed during this event, except for some crest-stage-gage pipes, and all real-time gages have continued transmitting data through the event.

Five PIWSC crews with a total of 12 staff members are out collecting water-quality and sediment samples, collecting data for indirect measurements, checking on non-real-time gages and measuring high water marks. The indirect measurements and repairs to crest stage gages will likely continue into next week.

The PIWSC has received feedback from, and had discussion with, a variety of community stakeholders and cooperators including the Kauai Emergency Management Agency and the National Weather Service's Honolulu Forecast Office.