Abstract

Groundwater management policy around the world increasingly seeks to protect groundwater-dependent ecosystems and associated human uses and values. This includes uses of ecosystems and agricultural systems linked to natural spring discharge. Yet, there are few examples of practical tools to balance human groundwater use with ecological water demand related to spring discharge. Using a simulation optimization framework, we directly incorporate a spring discharge constraint into the analysis of sustainable yield for operationalizing groundwater policy in the state of Hawai‘i. Our application on the island of O‘ahu is a spring discharge-dependent watercress farm with historical, cultural, and ecological significance. This research provides decision-makers in Hawai‘i with information regarding the trade-off between groundwater pumping and spring discharge, which is connected to multiple benefits, including historical and cultural values in line with codified state beneficial use protections. Because this trade-off provides an important step in operationalizing sustainable yield policy in Hawaii, we conclude by discussing further conceptual and technical developments necessary to move groundwater policy in Hawai‘i closer to full incorporation of the public trust principles of the state water code.

Highlights

  • Groundwater sustainable yield evaluation is increasingly moving to consider multiple concerns beyond threats to quantity and quality of the freshwater resource available for extraction (Pierce et al, 2013; El-Kadi et al, 2014; Owen et al, 2019)

  • We provide an example of sustainable yield estimation in Hawai‘i, wherein spring discharge serves as a metric for the continued provision of cultural, ecological, and social values related to the groundwater resource of interest

  • Identification and Quantification of Management Objectives and Constraints Keeping in mind the definition of sustainable yield and the requirements of the state water code, we identified the top three groundwater management objectives in collaboration with water management agencies as: (1) reduction of salinization risk to protect the resilience of the aquifer systems to saltwater intrusion, (2) minimization of drawdown to avoid over-drafting and upconing, and (3) conservation of spring discharge to restore or maintain traditional cultural Hawaiian sites and natural terrestrial ecosystems

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Summary

Introduction

Groundwater sustainable yield evaluation is increasingly moving to consider multiple concerns beyond threats to quantity and quality of the freshwater resource available for extraction (Pierce et al, 2013; El-Kadi et al, 2014; Owen et al, 2019). Spring Discharge and Groundwater Management unacceptable environmental, economic, or social consequences” (Alley et al, 1999). Such broad definitions allow for flexibility in interpretation when dealing with complex systems and multiple values, and can be determined based on aquifer performance factors, governance structures, and societal preferences (Pierce et al, 2013; Elshall et al, 2020). We provide an example of sustainable yield estimation in Hawai‘i, wherein spring discharge serves as a metric for the continued provision of cultural, ecological, and social values related to the groundwater resource of interest. Estimates of aquifer sustainable yield insofar as they are currently calculated do not explicitly take into account competing beneficial uses

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