Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2011HI318B

Long-term aspects of high-elevation rainfall and climate change, O

Institute: Hawaii
Year Established: 2011 Start Date: 2011-03-01 End Date: 2016-02-28
Total Federal Funds: $50,168 Total Non-Federal Funds: $104,180

Principal Investigators: David Beilman

Project Summary: The climate and precipitation regime of the North Pacific and Hawai'i varies substantially across timeframes from annual to decadal and longer, and includes ENSO- and PDO-scale dynamics. Water resource planning over the long term (several decades) requires an understanding of the patterns and drivers of climate variation and change. Mountain rain is the crucial component of groundwater recharge on O'ahu. In this study, we propose to investigate the organic geochemical and vegetation history of mountain peatswamp sediments at multiple sites to better understand the intensity and frequency of dry climate periods in Hawaii. This work will bridge important gaps in hydroclimate and climate change knowledge for Hawai'i and the Pacific, and serve as a platform for additional NSF funds.