The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa is expanding its environmental monitoring and research capabilities thanks to a $30,000 donation from the Hawaiʻi Water Environment Association (HWEA).

The HWEA gift will help upgrade the college鈥檚 environmental engineering lab through the acquisition of advanced instruments—most notably a state-of-the-art gas chromatograph system that acts like a high-tech “nose” that can sniff out and measure different gases in the air—expanding 糖心Vlog官方鈥檚 ability to analyze environmental samples with higher precision. The measurement of greenhouse gases such as methane, carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide, as well as compounds tied to odor and corrosion concerns, are key issues for wastewater facilities, community health and regulatory compliance.

“This gift is a vital investment in the research and education capacity of our Environmental Biotechnology Research Group at the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补,” said Zhiyue Wang, assistant professor in the and the . “By supporting everything from the acquisition of advanced analytical equipment and software to student travel and professional seminars, these resources allow us to maintain the high-level technology and scholarly records necessary to solve Hawaiʻi鈥檚 most pressing environmental challenges.”

The upgraded instruments will also provide new learning opportunities for students through lab instruction, capstone projects and research experiences involving advanced analytical techniques used across commercial and municipal laboratories. It also opens the door for deeper collaboration and knowledge exchange between 糖心Vlog官方 and water environment professionals statewide, including potential lab tours, seminars and shared learning opportunities.

The lab鈥檚 enhanced capabilities align with HWEA鈥檚 mission to protect and enhance Hawaiʻi鈥檚 water environment by supporting research at the intersection of air and water quality and by helping train the future workforce in modern analytical methods.

In 2025, Hawaiʻi experienced its second–driest year in more than a century, alongside persistently above average temperatures throughout the year—a stark reality detailed in the inaugural . Published by the , this first-of-its-kind report uses plain language, along with easy-to-interpret maps and figures, to summarize statewide rainfall, temperature, and drought conditions over the past year.

The report is designed to connect communities, resource managers, and policymakers with the climate data behind what many experienced firsthand, providing essential information to support climate preparedness and long-term planning across the islands.

This report reflects decades of effort to monitor Hawaiʻi鈥檚 climate and conduct high-level scientific research, paired with more than eight years of collaboration by a team of climate and data scientists to develop an expanding suite of high-quality climate maps and decision support tools. These maps are hosted on the Hawaiʻi Climate Data Portal (HCDP) and, for the first time, make it possible to summarize climate conditions consistently across the entire state.

“Throughout 2025, we heard people across the state talking about just how hot and dry the year felt,” said Ryan Longman, director of the Hawaiʻi Climate Data Portal. “Now we have the data to show what people were experiencing on the ground. We hope this type of reporting helps connect residents to their own lived experiences with Hawaiʻi鈥檚 climate and gives communities the information they need to plan for what鈥檚 ahead.”

The report is accompanied by a detailed, interactive website that allows users to explore the same climate information for individual islands and even for specific ahupua驶a or watersheds. Together, the report and website provide a clear picture of what many residents across Hawaiʻi experienced firsthand in 2025.

Highlights from the report

• 2025 was the second driest year in Hawaiʻi鈥檚 106-year record, with statewide rainfall averaging just 42 inches—about 20 inches below the 30-year average.
• Maui experienced its driest year on record, while Hawaiʻi Island recorded its second driest year.
• Rainfall was below average for 11 out of 12 months, and August ranked as the driest August in the past 35 years.
• Statewide, 2025 ranked as the sixth warmest year on record, averaging 0.8掳F warmer than normal. For Maui and Kauaʻi, it was the third warmest year since 1990.
• Drought conditions were widespread and severe. By the end of the year, 65% of the state was classified as abnormally dry or worse, and all of Molokaʻi experienced dry conditions. The most intense drought occurred in February, when 56% of Hawai驶i was in severe drought or worse.

Future data collection to expand

Looking ahead, the establishment of the Hawaiʻi Mesonet is expected to further improve the quality and detail of future reports by expanding on-the-ground climate observations. This report marks the first in a new annual series, to be released at the start of each year and refined and expanded over time as Hawaiʻi鈥檚 climate data and monitoring networks continue to grow.

The report also announced the launch of monthly climate update summaries, expected later this spring, which will send the latest information on rainfall, temperature and drought directly to subscribers鈥� inboxes, with a focus on the parts of the island chain that matter most to the individual subscribers.

“The goal of the monthly climate summaries is to provide an early signal of emerging rainfall and drought conditions,” said Longman. “By delivering site-specific information at the scales people actually work at, these updates can support more proactive planning and decision-making.”

The report was compiled by the Hawaiʻi Climate Data Portal and Hawaiʻi Mesonet teams. Funding was provided by the National Science Foundation, the State of Hawaiʻi Commission on Water Resource Management, and the U.S. Geological Survey Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center.

A new species of bacteria has been discovered off the coast of Oʻahu, shedding light on how unseen microbial life connects Hawaiʻi鈥檚 land and sea ecosystems.

Researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa identified Caulobacter inopinatus, a previously unknown species of bacteria found in seawater collected near a beach on Oʻahu鈥檚 south shore. The finding——was unexpected because all other known species in the Caulobacter genus (a scientific group that includes closely related species) are from freshwater or soil environments, not the ocean.

The discovery, made during a 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa undergraduate marine microbiology class, began as a routine demonstration on how to grow bacteria from seawater samples. When one colony growing on a Petri dish looked different from all the other colonies, further testing confirmed it was something entirely new.

From land to sea

Scientists found that C. inopinatus cannot survive in salt concentrations typical of seawater, despite being isolated from it. This paradox led researchers to investigate how it ended up in the ocean. They determined it was likely transported from land by submarine groundwater discharge—the natural movement of fresh groundwater through the seabed into the sea. These discharges are known to carry nutrients and pollutants into nearshore waters; in this case, they may also move land-based microorganisms. Microbial exchanges are important because bacteria play critical roles in nutrient cycling, water quality and coastal ecosystem health.

“Understanding how microbes move between land and sea helps scientists track the flow of nutrients and contaminants that can affect coastal water quality, fisheries and coral reef health—issues that directly impact Hawaiʻi鈥檚 communities and economy,” said study co-author and 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa Professor Stuart Donachie. “Discoveries like C. inopinatus help us better trace how land-based activities and natural processes influence marine environments at a microscopic level.”

The species name, inopinatus, comes from the Latin word for “unexpected,” reflecting both the chance nature of its discovery and its surprising characteristics.

Collaborative work

The research was part of ongoing microbial diversity studies led by Donachie. Undergraduate researchers Austin Dubord and Mia Sadones contributed to the project through 糖心Vlog官方 惭ā苍辞补鈥檚 , which supports student-led research and creative work. Collaborators included 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa faculty Michael Norris and Jennifer Saito, graduate students Chiyoko Onouye and Thi Hai Au La, and University of Mississippi Assistant Professor and 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa PhD graduate Rebecca Prescott.

The study is dedicated to the late 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa Earth Sciences Professor Craig Glenn (1954–2024), whose pioneering research on submarine groundwater discharge in Hawaiʻi helped illuminate how freshwater and seawater interact along island coastlines, and to former 糖心Vlog官方 undergraduate student Justin Bukunt (1983–2011), whose early research on groundwater discharge at Kawaikui Beach Park informed this discovery. Their contributions continue to inspire new generations of scientists exploring Hawaiʻi鈥檚 unique coastal environments.

The School of Life Sciences is housed in 糖心Vlog官方 惭ā苍辞补鈥檚 .

Most people who were affected by the November 2021 Red Hill fuel spill continued to experience physical, emotional, social and/or financial impacts more than 20 months after the incident, according to a released October 15, 2025, by the University of Hawaiʻi Economic Research Organization (糖心Vlog官方ERO).

The report provides results from a follow-up self-administered online survey conducted in July 2023 (20 months after the spill) with 174 people who had participated in earlier studies by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Main findings reported in 2023

Ongoing physical and mental health impacts:

• About three quarters (79%) of respondents reported one or more new or worsening physical and/or mental health symptoms since the 2021 fuel spill.
• A majority (68%) reported ongoing symptoms in 2023, nearly two years after the spill.
• Nearly half of respondents (49%) continued to suffer from mental health impacts, followed by neurological symptoms (44%), gastrointestinal issues (36%) and skin/eye symptoms (34%).

Healthcare response:

• The majority (65%) of respondents sought medical care related to the spill.
• Experiences with medical care were mixed: 24% of respondents rated the medical care they received for their exposure to the fuel spill as excellent or good whereas 36% rated their care as bad or very bad.
• More than 50% of respondents said they have a great deal of trust in their healthcare provider to provide correct information; less than 5% said they have no trust.
• The vast majority of open-ended responses about healthcare described dismissed concerns, insufficient documentation of symptoms, inadequate testing options and challenges accessing specialists.

Social and economic impacts:

• Many reported feelings of isolation as a result of health impacts and disaster response.
• Some respondents also pointed to ways that the community organized and supported one another in disaster response.
• Some (18%) reported income loss (median = $13,750 annual income), while the majority (82%) incurred additional out-of-pocket expenses (median = $8,200).
• Only 12% of those with out-of-pocket expenses said they were fully reimbursed, and more than a third (36%) said they received nothing at all.

Institutional trust and perceptions of institutional crisis response:

• Respondents were most satisfied with how the Honolulu Board of Water Supply responded to the crisis and least satisfied with the response of the Navy.
• Many expressed feelings of betrayal, particularly toward the Navy. Many respondents said they felt lied to about the safety of the water, and cited inadequate medical and other crisis response as factors undermining trust.
• Participants discussed a need for greater transparency, accountability and empathy in future crisis response.

“Findings reveal significant and ongoing well-being impacts including physical and mental health challenges, disruptions to social networks and relationships and financial losses,” the study wrote.

The report was authored by experts from 糖心Vlog官方ERO, , , , and , all at 糖心Vlog官方.

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糖心Vlog官方ERO is housed in 糖心Vlog官方 惭ā苍辞补鈥檚 .

Low pay, limited advancement opportunities, and a small applicant pool for specialized positions are among the biggest challenges facing Hawaiʻi鈥檚 water sector, according to a new University of Hawaiʻi report. The study also found a strong commitment among water professionals to public service and community well-being, and highlighted opportunities for 糖心Vlog官方 to help strengthen education and career pathways that support a thriving water future for the state.

The report, published October 8, shares insights from 43 representatives from federal, state and county agencies, as well as private and nonprofit organizations. The findings emphasized the need for both technical expertise and a holistic understanding of the political, cultural, economic and historical dimensions of water in Hawaiʻi.

One key finding was, “Many suggested that the University of Hawaiʻi has an important role to play in convening organizations and people across the water sector and in conducting applied and policy relevant research.”

Interviewees cited recruitment and retention challenges driven by low salaries and slow hiring processes, along with a need for more training in specialized areas such as engineering, hydrogeology and aquatic biology. Many also noted that institutional culture and job descriptions do not always effectively attract local candidates with lived experience and a commitment to mālama ʻ腻颈苍补, or caring for the land. The research highlighted the importance of comprehensive, practical training in communication, project management, fieldwork and community engagement.

The report represents the first phase of a collaborative project involving the (糖心Vlog官方ERO), , , and .

Funded by the Hawaiian Islands Environmental Finance Center of the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, the next phase will focus on interviews with 糖心Vlog官方 departments and professional development programs to identify assets, gaps and best practices for water-related education and careers statewide.

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Community members gathered at Moanalua High School on August 2, for the University of Hawaiʻi鈥檚 Launch and Community Fair, an event aimed at promoting awareness and support for those who experienced the 2021 fuel release into the Navy鈥檚 drinking water system on Oʻahu.

The launch marked the public debut of the Red Hill Registry, an independent initiative designed to track health outcomes and connect individuals who were exposed to the water crisis with resources. The registry was developed through a partnership between the and community members.

“What I hope is that people will really feel connected and they have a community,” said Aimee Grace, principal investigator and director of the 糖心Vlog官方 Office of Strategic Health Initiatives. “If they have some sort of need, whether it鈥檚 a health need or whether it鈥檚 a social service need, they can come to us and we can help navigate that process and find the resources they need.”

“It鈥檚 extremely important that anybody who experienced the Red Hill water crisis enroll in the registry,” said Rosana “Sanie” Weldon, 糖心Vlog官方 Red Hill Registry director. “That way we can get the most comprehensive data so that we can really start to determine whether there are links between the jet fuel exposure in the drinking water and any health outcomes.”

The family-friendly event featured informational booths, keiki activities, food and opportunities for attendees to learn more about the registry and how to enroll. Community organizations and support service providers were on hand to offer guidance and assistance.

The registry seeks to build a comprehensive picture of the long-term impacts of the Red Hill fuel release, with participation open to anyone who lived, worked, attended daycare or studied in affected areas. Organizers emphasized that enrollment is valuable regardless of whether individuals have experienced health issues to date. .

“On the one hand, I鈥檓 gratified that we鈥檙e doing this. It鈥檚 the right thing to do. We have to do this to take care of folks,” U.S. Rep. Ed Case said. “On the other hand, we鈥檝e got to track this over time, get the word out to anybody that you should register so that we can determine these health consequences over time.”

“To me, it always had to be with entities like the University of Hawaiʻi, run by kids who literally drink this water themselves and understand how important it is for us to make good on our obligations to take care of the community,” U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda said.

The public is invited to attend the Launch and Community Fair on August 2, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., at the Moanalua High School cafeteria and courtyard.

The Red Hill Registry aims to track health outcomes and provide resources for those who experienced the 2021 fuel release into the Navy鈥檚 drinking water system on Oʻahu.

The independent initiative is led by the University of Hawaiʻi System , and was co-designed with the community.

“This registry will serve as a crucial tool for both monitoring health outcomes and ensuring that individuals have access to the support they need,” said Rosana Weldon, director of the Red Hill Registry. “Every enrollment in the Red Hill Registry, whether an individual experienced health effects or not, helps us build a more comprehensive picture of the long-term impact of this crisis.”

This family-friendly event will feature a variety of activities, food, resource booths and more. The fair will bring together community partners and members of the Red Hill community, offering an opportunity to learn more about the registry, receive assistance with pre-enrollment and connect with various support services.

“The launch of the Red Hill Registry is a significant milestone for our community,” said Tara Sutton, director of community engagement at the Red Hill Registry. “From the beginning, we have worked hard to build a strong foundation of trust with our community by speaking with and engaging individuals across the community throughout the registry鈥檚 development.”

Questions about the event can be sent to info@redhillregistry.org. More information about the Red Hill Registry, including background, frequently asked questions and more can also be .

A new tool developed by University of Hawaiʻi researchers allows anyone in the state to generate custom, site-specific climate reports to support decisions related to drought, wildfire and land management—a major step forward in Hawaiʻi鈥檚 climate resilience efforts.

The was unveiled at a May 2025 meeting of the Hawaiʻi Climate Data Portal (HCDP) User Group, which drew lawmakers, emergency managers and wildfire officials. The new system lets users select or draw an area of interest, enter basic details and receive a tailored climate portfolio by email. It is free to use and portfolios are generated and delivered in less than an hour.

“We used to generate these portfolios one at a time, but the demand for them was so great that we decided to automate the entire process,” said Ryan Longman, lead researcher on the HCDP project and the 糖心Vlog官方 consortium director of the .

The tool is part of the larger project, which is working to transform how the state tracks weather, drought and wildfire risk using advanced climate modeling, real-time data systems and artificial intelligence. Change Hawaiʻi is part of the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research or .

Real-time dashboard

At the meeting, researchers also rolled out a newly developed, open-source dashboard for the Hawaiʻi Mesonet—a growing network of 110 weather monitoring stations statewide, 66 of which are now operational. Each station collects 21 environmental variables and generates more than a million data points daily that feed into predictive models for wildfire and drought.

• Read more about the dashboard on 糖心Vlog官方 News

“This dashboard puts real-time data at the fingertips of the people who need it most,” said Tom Giambelluca, Hawaiʻi Mesonet project lead, Change Hawaiʻi co-principal investigator and former director of the at 糖心Vlog官方. “High-quality data has never been easier to access, and future applications with the data are limitless.”

Wildfire system

The team has developed daily wildfire probability maps and forecasts statewide through the use of optimized machine learning models for more accurate fire behavior forecasting and drought assessment. The user-friendly, real-time data is accessed through the HCDP, which is publicly available. Read more on 糖心Vlog官方 News.

The goal is to provide early warning to fire managers, emergency responders and landowners so they can deploy resources, issue public advisories and reduce risks through more informed planning. This wildfire system can identify critical wildfire ignition factors, including relative humidity, temperature, rainfall, normalized difference vegetation index (components of wildfire fuel) and land cover.

Future efforts will leverage robust cyberinfrastructure, advanced data visualization, and innovative AI and machine learning applications, including computer vision and edge AI systems, to create a more resilient Hawaiʻi.

In advance of the launch of the Red Hill Registry this summer, a team of international, national and local public health and environmental science experts convened May 8–9, at the East-West Center鈥檚 Imin International Conference Center to discuss the health impacts of the 2021 jet fuel spill at Red Hill, and to advise the University of Hawaiʻi System-based registry on data protocols and methodologies.

The Red Hill Registry, led by the 糖心Vlog官方 System in partnership with the 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 , and , as well as University Health Partners of Hawaiʻi, aims to track health outcomes and provide resources for those affected by the fuel spill.

In May, the Thompson school鈥檚 Registry Hub convened, for the second time, a Scientific Oversight Workshop with key experts from around the world to develop the best ways to track the health impacts of thousands of Hawaiʻi residents who consumed the fuel-tainted water.

“The Scientific Oversight Workshop aimed to again bring together independent experts whose experience and perspectives will support the success of our project,” said Catherine Pirkle, the registry鈥檚 scientific director and professor of public health in the Thompson School of Social Work and Public Health.

Topics included the chemistry of chemicals in drinking water, statistical methods to estimate exposure, analysis of the media surrounding the Red Hill water crisis, environmental health communication with the community and the health impacts of environmental hazards.

“Our Scientific Oversight Workshops are vitally important to develop a registry that is scientifically sound, culturally grounded and co-created with the community,” said Rosana (Sanie) Weldon, director of the Red Hill Registry. “In addition to assisting the community with referrals and educational resources, a main goal of the Registry is to be a data repository that researchers can use to investigate links between exposure and long term health effects. These conversations are also important to the broader community that has been exposed to jet fuel in the drinking water, such as in Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania.”

Another scientific workshop will take place prior to the launch of the Red Hill Registry this summer.

Formal enrollment in the Red Hill Registry is set to begin in mid-2025, with .

Six grants totaling $200,000 (between $10,000-$50,000 per award) for green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) projects in the Ala Wai watershed were awarded by the (Hawaiʻi Sea Grant). These projects are part of the project, a transformative effort aimed at improving the health of the Ala Wai Canal by improving water quality, enhancing ecosystem resilience and engaging communities in sustainable solutions.

GSI is a collection of design strategies that mimic nature to manage and treat stormwater and encourages water to infiltrate into the ground, minimizing and slowing the flow of runoff and removing contaminants. It encompasses a variety of nature-based solutions designed to restore natural hydrological processes. They range from native rain gardens and tree planting to floating treatment wetlands, all of which help to filter pollutants, slow runoff and replenish groundwater.

“The pollution of the Ala Wai Canal and the watersheds that feed into it have long been an issue rising to more prominence with the increased frequency of storms, and highlighting the urgent need to develop immediate solutions and strategies for the sustainable long-term management of the watershed,” said Hawaiʻi Sea Grant Director and Principal Investigator Darren T. Lerner. “The Ola Waik墨k墨 effort and associated community-led projects incorporate community input and support real-world pilot projects that residents can see and experience. These projects provide an opportunity to demonstrate small-scale application of GSI that can eventually be scaled up into regional projects that support meaningful and impactful benefits to the environment and community.”

Ola Waik墨k墨 is funded by Congressionally directed spending led by U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz. The project team includes Lerner and co-investigators Melanie Lander, community planning and design extension agent, and Dolan Eversole, coastal processes specialist.

Community-driven projects making an impact

An expert panel convened by Hawaiʻi Sea Grant identified six community-led projects to demonstrate the power of local action in urban environmental restoration and stormwater management.

• Aliʻiolani Elementary School Cafeteria Rain Garden (Hawaiʻi Green Growth UN Local2030 Hub)
• Increasing Urban Tree Canopy at Jarrett Middle School (The Outdoor Circle)
• M&M (Maintaining & Monitoring) the Kaimuk墨 Rain Garden (Trees for Honolulu鈥檚 Future)
• P膩lolo Hongwanji Sustainable Community Hub (Trees for Honolulu鈥檚 Future)
• Puʻuhonua: Distributed, Scalable Phytoremediation (Grow Good Hawaiʻi and ʻIolani School)
• Restoring Roots at Puʻu o Kaimuk墨 Mini Park (808 Cleanups)

By leveraging community knowledge, hands-on participation, and strong partnerships, these initiatives are a first step toward long-term water quality improvement and urban resilience in Honolulu.

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