This report documents the UH monitoring network which provides hydrologic parameters, such as precipitation, streamflow, and aquifer response, in small island developing communities like Tutuila, American Samoa, where water resources are limited. It highlights the collaborative efforts between the University of Hawaii's Water Resources Research Center and the American Samoa Power Authority to establish a new monitoring network for weather, stream gauging, and aquifer data, providing essential information for sustainable water resource management and various applications
This report focuses on addressing the critical challenges of sustainable water resources management on Tutuila, the main island in the Territory of American Samoa. It presents an updated conceptual hydrogeological model of the island's groundwater and surface water resources by integrating existing hydrological information with recently acquired subsurface datasets, shedding light on the complex nature of Tutuila's hydrogeology, which varies significantly across different locations on the island.
In response to climate change impacts like rising sea levels, efforts are being made in the Pacific Islands region to assess and adapt to the effects on mangroves. This includes improving management practices, reducing stress on mangroves, and integrating climate data into land-use planning to minimize risks to coastal ecosystems and human safety.
The absence of historical sea-level data for the Pacific over the past 1,000 years hinders our understanding of late Neogene sea-level changes. Data from tectonically stable sites in various Pacific locations suggest that sea level was close to its present level around 1,000 years ago, rose to approximately 0.9 meters above present levels around 700 years ago during the Little Climatic Optimum, then fell during the Little Ice Age before gradually rising again over the past 200 years. Tags: Pacific, sea-level change, historical data, Little Climatic Optimum, Little Ice Age.
American Samoa boasts rich coral reefs fringing its islands, with coral reef protection integrated into a national system, including management by the National Park of American Samoa and the National Marine Sanctuary Program. The division between American Samoa and independent Samoa is relatively recent, with intertwined pre-Western histories and cultural connections that endure today among all Samoan Islands.