Data Management Plan

The focus of the Wahikuli-Honokowai Watershed Management Plan is the land use practices and alterations affected in the agricultural and urban districts that have upset the natural drainage patterns and ecohydrologic balance and services the watersheds provide. As the approach to reducing the effects of land-based sources of pollution, the Wahikuli-Honokowai Watershed Management Plan identifies nine priority projects to reduce, capture, and remediate the impacts of non-point source pollutants through the implementation of management practices in priority areas. The Watershed Management Plan also includes recommendations for strategic, long-term trend monitoring of the health of the coral reef ecosystem, which provides information that can be correlated to the implementation of solutions to reduce land-based non-point source pollutants.

Kahekili Beach Park reef and the coastal areas to the north are considered high priority. Corals in this region have been severely impacted by land-based pollutants, causing coral dieback and reducing coral cover. To fill in the gap, a baseline assessment for coral demographic metrics (described here) along with benthic cover has been conducted at the mouths of the Mahinahina, Honokowai, and Wahikuli, Kahana, Honokeana, Honokohua, and Honolua stream drainages in West Maui, Hawaii, to track and evaluate the efficacy of implemented management practices. The installation of permanent survey transects will provide long-term time series to quantify changes in the reef benthic community. Sediment flux, and turbidity data are also collected at the Mahinahina, Honokowai, and Wahikuli, dranages (described separately).

The data described here were collected via belt transect surveys of coral demography (adult and juvenile corals) by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) according to protocols established by the NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP). In 2014 data were collected at the Mahinahina, Honokowai, and Wahikuli watersheds; in 2015 data were collected at the Kahana, Honokeana, Honokohua, and Honolua watersheds. These data include:

1) an assessment of coral colony density and size-class distribution for the selected monitoring sites;

2) an assessment of coral recruitment at the monitoring sites; and

3) an evaluation of coral colony mortality and evidence of sediment stress.

Data is available for surveys conducted in 2014 and 2015. These data can be accessed online via the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) Ocean Archive, accession #0137092.

Additionally, line-point intercept and photoquadrat surveys of the benthos were conducted (described separately), and turbidity sensors, sediment traps, and sediment pods were deployed by project partners to provide information on sediment loads, sediment accumulation rates, and sediment composition. As watershed management projects are implemented, changes in sediment and nutrient loading and the resulting impacts on the reefs can be monitored over time.

Mahinahina, Honokowai, Wahikuli, Kahana, Honokeana, Honokohua, and Honolua watersheds, West Maui, Hawaii.

Lineage Statement:
The data described here were collected via belt transect surveys of coral demography (adult and juvenile corals) by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) following a slightly modified protocol to that established by the NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP).

Process Steps:

• Adjacent to each of the main watershed drainages (i.e., Wahikuli, Honokowai, and Mahinahina in the south; and Kahana, Honokeana, Honokohua, and Honolua to the north), two permanent, long-term benthic monitoring stations were established (except for Honokohua; only one station established); shallow (0-6 meter) and/or mid-depth (6-15 meter). Within each monitoring station two-to-three replicate survey sites were established; replicate survey sites were several meters apart, given that West Maui coral reef track exhibits a fingerlike-reticulate geomorphology. Within each replicate site, surveys were conducted along one, 10 square meter belt transect, 18 meters in length. Adult coral colonies (greater than or equal to 5 centimeters) were surveyed within four (1.0 x 2.5 meter) segments at 5 meter increments along the 18 meter transect in the following manner: 0-2.5 meters (segment 1); 5.0-7.5 meters (segment 3); 10-12.5 meters (segment 5); and 15-17.5 meters (segment 7). All colonies whose center fell within 0.5 meters on either side of each transect line were identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible (species or genus), measured for size (maximum diameter to nearest centimeter), and morphology was noted. In addition, partial mortality and condition of each colony was assessed. Partial mortality was estimated as percent of the colony in terms of old dead and recent dead and the cause of recent mortality was identified if possible. The condition of each colony including disease (not attributed to recent tissue loss) and bleaching was noted along with the extent (percent of colony affected) and level of severity (range from moderate to acute). Within the same four segments per transect as the adult coral surveys, crustose coralline algae (CCA) diseases and Alcyonarian disease are surveyed. In each segment, each occurrence of a specific disease is identified and the lesion is measured (maximum diameter). In addition to the adult coral surveys, CCA diseases, and Alcyonarian disease, the presence of other Anthozoans (other cnidarians including Alcyonareans, Zoantharians, coralliomorphs and Antipatharians) are also noted. Juvenile coral colonies (less than 5 centimeters) were surveyed within three (1.0 x 1.0 meter) segments along the same transects: 0-1.0 meter (segment 1); 5.0-6.0 meters (segment 3); and 10.0-11.0 meters (segment 5). Juvenile colonies were distinguished in the field by a distinct tissue and skeletal boundary (not a fragment of a larger colony). Each juvenile colony was identified to the lowest taxonomic level (genus or species) and measured for size by recording both the maximum and perpendicular diameter to the nearest 2 millimeter. (Citation: NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) Benthic Survey Standard Operating Procedures - draft document available upon request from the data steward)

The quality control occurred at two major stages - 1) data entry and 2) data management. Data entry quality control included both review and manual error correction steps. Data management quality control included several standard error queries followed by correction prior to ingestion into Oracle database.

Data can be accessed online via the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) Ocean Archive, accession #0137092.

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