Hawaii Water Resources

Why can Hawaiian volcanic rocks support groundwater storage?

• Porous formations can store and transmit water
• All volcanic rock is completely impermeable
• Groundwater exists only beneath glaciers
• Aquifers require fresh snow year-round

What makes flash flooding possible in a steep Hawaiian catchment?

• Steep slopes force water to flow uphill
• Heavy rainfall can produce rapid downhill runoff
• Rainfall disappears before reaching streams
• Ocean tides prevent all runoff

Which factors help determine groundwater recharge in Hawaii?

• Only the number of hotels
• Only the altitude of aircraft
• Only the state’s admission date
• Rainfall, land cover, and rock permeability

Why is upland land management relevant to coastal freshwater supplies?

• Freshwater has no link to surrounding land
• Coastal water comes only from imported bottles
• Watersheds connect rainfall and runoff across the landscape
• All rainfall is generated underground