Tailoring Green Stormwater Infrastructure to Hawiian Lansdcapes

Abstract

Transition and evolution are intrinsic to every stretch of the globe, but the rapid changes brought on by global climate change will test even the hardiest natural systems. In the effort to transition towards resilience, some areas will face greater threats than others. Resource-ﾭ?limited, isolated, and vulnerable to the slightest of change, islands like Hawai`i will serve as a barometer of future adaptation and innovation potential. As a result of marked differences in microclimates due to physical geography and the impacts of the built environment, Hawaiian regions experience drastically different rainfall volumes and intensities. Global climate change is projected to magnify both the over abundance and lack of water in Hawai`i. Forthcoming uncertainty surrounding storm intensity and duration calls for specialized solutions with a wide margin of error. This analysis was conducted in an effort to more comprehensively understand Hawai`iﾒs current and prospective issues with water, encourage site-ﾭ?specific water management solutions based on the analysis of unique local conditions, and provide management recommendations for environmental planning in the time of global climate change. The following study begins with a literature review summarizing the stateﾒs unique local conditions, historical relationship with water, and specific concerns, then reviews the evaluation of several experimental sites on the island of Oﾑahu, and finally draws policy recommendations from a localized analysis. This study provides foundational suggestions for the consideration of stormwater management as local and condition-ﾭ?specific. By increasing the ease of site analysis for alternative stormwater management regimes, GSI may become a more common practice, thereby reinforcing its efficacy through regional implementation.