Challenge
Erosion is a serious problem for Lana‘i, one of the main Hawaiian islands, and this erosion can harm fragile coral reefs. Understanding which areas are most prone to erosion and which coral reefs face the greatest risks is essential information for prioritizing land protection and restoration.
Solution
First, researchers gathered comprehensive, high quality land use and land cover data from NOAA's Digital Coast. Then, additional information, such as elevation, rainfall, soil types, and erodibility, was fed into the Digital Coast’s NSPECT tool. This helped determine how much sediment and water were running off the land.
Next, the intensity of landscape development, along with sediment and water runoff, was calculated for all of Lana‘i's watersheds. By comparing these figures, researchers pinpointed the watersheds most vulnerable to soil erosion and widespread habitat decline. They then compared these findings with reef health data from NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program. These results helped select which watersheds needed the most urgent attention, prioritizing damaged areas closest to the healthiest coral reefs. Going forward, decision-makers can use this information, combined with other Digital Coast data and tools, to better understand the environmental costs and benefits of various restoration choices.
