Water Resources Supply and Pollution - Assignment Example

Water Resources in Hawaii The climate of an area is the frequent distribution or composite of various kind of weather. The outstanding features of Hawaii’s climate include moderate humidity, mild temperatures, important differences in rainfall within short distances, and infrequent severe storms. For most of Hawaii, there are two seasons, summer between October and May, and winter between April and October. With its gentle, warm and mild temperatures, trade winds, and sunny skies, Hawaii is an ideal destination for vacations throughout the year.

The state of Hawaii is tropical, but the climate and temperature can vary dramatically depending on where one is located on a specific island. Topology is the study of the earth’s shape of the surface and features or those of moons, planets, and asteroids, as well as the description of such surface features and shapes. Topology is concerned with local detail in general, including human-made features and vegetation, and even, besides relief, culture and local history. The topography of Hawaii islands does a vast job affecting the weather that synoptic level models are sometimes insignificant.

Most of the examples in this paper are taken from the Island of Oahu. This island is the most inhabited of the eight most important islands that consist of Hawaii, and since it houses Honolulu there is extensive date available on it. The Mauka and windward showers hit sections of the islands. This is caused by the pacific High which is the main influence on the climate for 50-80 percent of the year. It fuels the trade winds which fade away moisture off of the ocean as they head towards Hawaii.

Wailuku River is the main source of water in Hawaii. Chemical and biological data indicate relatively clean water compared to similar streams in the conterminous United States. Due to the channel gradient, the number and types of benthic organisms are low in Wailuku River. The stream-bed is formed of lava flows from Mauna Loa Volcano, and the stream channel is characterized by a series of waterfalls and plunge pools. Headwaters of the Wailuku River flow intermittently from about 11,000 feet on the east-southwest side.

In Hawaii, most of the drinking water comes from rivers and lakes. Water in Hawaii is pumped up from subversive aquifers or harvested from mountain streams. Fresh water is abundant in Hawaii; this is because the convergence winds upon the Islands forested mountains (Case 45). In Hawaii, water refuse has been fundamentally relegated to agricultural irrigation and large industries. The continuing effort to preserve and conserve potable water resources emphasizes using alternative sources of water for irrigation.

Reclaimed water is considered a great possible resource for various non-potable applications, such as industrial processes, construction, and irrigation.The Hawaiian groundwater is unconfined because the upper boundary is the phreatic surface or water table. The groundwater is characterized by basalts and the complex relation of porosity to resistive in basaltic aquifers, which makes the Hawaiian aquifers pose problems. Ground water in Hawaii has volcanic rocks which are permeable, and porous to great depths.

The fresh water is less dense than seawater and, hence, the fresh water floats on the seawater.Opinions of Hawaii residents about the quality of water are evenly split. Most residents of Hawaii consider drinking water as the highest priority water issue; drinking water in Hawaii is safe in its current state. In addition, the groundwater quality is good, but most residents are concerned with the deteriorating quality of surface water. It is noted that in Hawaii, road constructions, urban wastes, and agricultural production are the common sources of water pollution (Case 78).

Half of the water the Hawaiians use comes from groundwater. Population increase has led to increased development in land. Changes in land and urbanization have affected water supplies. In addition, the long-term use of pesticides, agricultural runoff, reduction of vegetated acreage, and improper storage of hazardous wastes has contributed to the supply of water in Hawaii. Maintaining high quality water in Hawaii demands responsible use, conservation, and education.Works cited Case, S. (2011).

Water for life; water is so basic, and so is ensuring its availability. Retrieved on 28th November 2011, from