Ola I Ka Wai
Water is Life

The myriad issues surrounding water – water rights and law, water availability, changing climate and rainfall patterns, and understanding our aquifers in Hawai‘i and our freshwater supply, to name just a few – are arguably the most pressing issues we will confront as an island state in the coming years. To solve these seemingly insurmountable challenges, scientists and policymakers are working each and every day to understand the issues we are facing, and pinpoint solutions we can achieve working collaboratively.

To help achieve this goal, the University of Hawai‘i Sea Grant College Program (Hawai‘i Sea Grant) partnered with the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Water Resources Research Center (WRRC) to create a new joint faculty position focusing specifically on water resources, the first position of its kind in either WRRC or Hawai‘i Sea Grant.

In 2019, Michael Mezzacapo was hired as the water resources outreach specialist and is serving in a critical role as a statewide and regional liaison to government organizations, resource managers, non-governmental organizations, community groups, and decision-makers. He will also work in partnership with University of Hawai‘i faculty and stakeholders to develop a transdisciplinary outreach program that provides education and collaborative action to tackle pressing water resource challenges across the Pacific region.

I invite you to browse through the captivating articles included in this issue and learn more about how some of the most daunting water resource challenges are being addressed with creativity, vision, and perseverance.

Cindy Knapman
Hawai‘i Sea Grant Communications Leader