Wailuku River State Park is located along the lower reach of the river. One section of the park includes Rainbow Falls (19°43′9″N155°6′34″W / 19.71917°N 155.10944°W / 19.71917; -155.10944 (Rainbow Falls)), and another section Peʻepeʻe falls and an area called the Boiling Pots (a series of small falls and pools).[4]The upper and middle reaches of the river are known for hunting of introduced game animals. The lower river is a popular destination for swimming and tubing.[citation needed] However, it is also one of the deadliest bodies of water in the state, as the river is not guarded and can behave unpredictably.[5]
A portion of the Boiling Pots above Pe'epe'e Falls.
The river has been the site of sewage leaks[8] and is the subject of water quality research.[9] Water advisories are posted online by the State of Hawaii. There is a plan for restoration of the Hilo Bay watershed that includes characterization of the Wailuku River.[10]
In the Hawaiian language, wai means fresh water and luku means destruction, so it means essentially River of Destruction.[11] The river can rise into the trees and drop back down very fast. The high flood marks can be seen dated in concrete, on the stairs going down to the river behind the Hilo Public Library.
According to legend, the river was created in a battle between the god Maui and the lizard monster Kuna.[12]
The river is rated Class 5 white water and has been navigated by experts on kayak.[13]
Wailuku River discharge 2017-01-30 to 2018-01-30 at Piihonua Station
References
^"Wailuku River, Hawaii" (PDF). Hawaii Watershed Atlas. (PDF) from the original on February 27, 2017. Retrieved November 17, 2019.
^U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map 2012-03-29 at the Wayback Machine, accessed April 28, 2011
^Wailuku River 2010-02-22 at the Wayback Machine official state park web site
^. Archived from the original on 2009-02-03. Retrieved 2009-01-30.
^"Hydroelectricity". www.hawaiianelectric.com. from the original on 2018-02-01. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
^"USGS 16704000 Wailuku River at Piihonua, HI". waterdata.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2018-01-31.
^"Update 4: Water Quality in Hilo Bay 'All-Clear'". Big Island Now. from the original on 2018-02-02. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
^"Tracy Wiegner, marine science: Assessing impact of humans on water quality in fresh and marine environments – Keaohou". hilo.hawaii.edu. from the original on 2017-11-02. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
^"CWB System". Environmental Health Portal. from the original on 2018-02-01. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
^"Legend of Wailuku Falls: Kuna, The Mo'o Monster, a mythology fiction | FictionPress". www.fictionpress.com. from the original on 2018-02-01. Retrieved 2018-01-31.
^Joel Kowalski (2017-02-12), Kayaking the Wailuku River, Big Island Hawaii, archived from the original on 2021-12-22, retrieved 2018-02-01
External links
USGS flow data
NPS: Rivers and Trails of Hawaii
USGS: Wailuku River
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wailuku River.
March 11, 2023
wailuku, river, mile, long, water, course, island, hawaiʻi, hawaiian, islands, longest, river, hawai, largest, state, mean, discharge, course, lies, mostly, along, divide, between, lava, flows, mauna, those, mauna, south, arises, about, feet, elevation, along,. The Wailuku River is a 28 0 mile long 45 1 km 2 water course on the Island of Hawaiʻi in the Hawaiian Islands It is the longest river in Hawai i and the largest in the state by mean discharge Its course lies mostly along the divide between the lava flows of Mauna Kea and those of Mauna Loa to the south It arises at about the 10 800 feet 3 300 m elevation along the eastern slope of Mauna Kea 19 48 26 N 155 25 13 W 19 80722 N 155 42028 W 19 80722 155 42028 Wailuku River source It flows generally eastward descending steeply from the mountain and entering the Pacific Ocean at Hilo 3 Wailuku RiverWaianuenue Rainbow Falls on the Wailuku RiverLocationCountryUnited StatesStateHawaiiRegionBig IslandPhysical characteristicsSourceSlopes of Mauna Kea coordinates19 48 26 N 155 25 13 W 19 80722 N 155 42028 W 19 80722 155 42028MouthPacific Ocean locationHilo Bay coordinates19 43 40 N 155 5 15 W 19 72778 N 155 08750 W 19 72778 155 08750 Coordinates 19 43 40 N 155 5 15 W 19 72778 N 155 08750 W 19 72778 155 08750Length28 0 mi 45 1 km Basin size252 2 sq mi 653 km2 1 Discharge average275 cu ft s 7 8 m3 s maximum11 000 cu ft s 310 m3 s Wailuku River State Park is located along the lower reach of the river One section of the park includes Rainbow Falls 19 43 9 N 155 6 34 W 19 71917 N 155 10944 W 19 71917 155 10944 Rainbow Falls and another section Peʻepeʻe falls and an area called the Boiling Pots a series of small falls and pools 4 The upper and middle reaches of the river are known for hunting of introduced game animals The lower river is a popular destination for swimming and tubing citation needed However it is also one of the deadliest bodies of water in the state as the river is not guarded and can behave unpredictably 5 A portion of the Boiling Pots above Pe epe e Falls The lower reach of the river is used for the generation of hydroelectricity 6 The flow at Hilo averages 275 cubic feet per second 8 m s with peak flows 40 times as great Water flow is monitored by the USGS 7 The stream carries an average of 10 tons of suspended sediment into Hilo Bay each day at 19 43 40 N 155 5 15 W 19 72778 N 155 08750 W 19 72778 155 08750 The river has been the site of sewage leaks 8 and is the subject of water quality research 9 Water advisories are posted online by the State of Hawaii There is a plan for restoration of the Hilo Bay watershed that includes characterization of the Wailuku River 10 In the Hawaiian language wai means fresh water and luku means destruction so it means essentially River of Destruction 11 The river can rise into the trees and drop back down very fast The high flood marks can be seen dated in concrete on the stairs going down to the river behind the Hilo Public Library According to legend the river was created in a battle between the god Maui and the lizard monster Kuna 12 The river is rated Class 5 white water and has been navigated by experts on kayak 13 Wailuku River discharge 2017 01 30 to 2018 01 30 at Piihonua StationReferences Edit Wailuku River Hawaii PDF Hawaii Watershed Atlas Archived PDF from the original on February 27 2017 Retrieved November 17 2019 U S Geological Survey National Hydrography Dataset high resolution flowline data The National Map Archived 2012 03 29 at the Wayback Machine accessed April 28 2011 Wailuku River Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior September 30 2003 Retrieved November 11 2010 Wailuku River Archived 2010 02 22 at the Wayback Machine official state park web site Drownings in Hawaii Archived from the original on 2009 02 03 Retrieved 2009 01 30 Hydroelectricity www hawaiianelectric com Archived from the original on 2018 02 01 Retrieved 2018 02 01 USGS 16704000 Wailuku River at Piihonua HI waterdata usgs gov Retrieved 2018 01 31 Update 4 Water Quality in Hilo Bay All Clear Big Island Now Archived from the original on 2018 02 02 Retrieved 2018 02 01 Tracy Wiegner marine science Assessing impact of humans on water quality in fresh and marine environments Keaohou hilo hawaii edu Archived from the original on 2017 11 02 Retrieved 2018 02 01 CWB System Environmental Health Portal Archived from the original on 2018 02 01 Retrieved 2018 02 01 Mary Kawena Pukui Samuel Hoyt Elbert and Esther T Mookini 2004 lookup of Waianuenue in Place Names of Hawai i Ulukau the Hawaiian Electronic Library University of Hawaii Press Retrieved November 11 2010 Legend of Wailuku Falls Kuna The Mo o Monster a mythology fiction FictionPress www fictionpress com Archived from the original on 2018 02 01 Retrieved 2018 01 31 Joel Kowalski 2017 02 12 Kayaking the Wailuku River Big Island Hawaii archived from the original on 2021 12 22 retrieved 2018 02 01External links EditUSGS flow data NPS Rivers and Trails of Hawaii USGS Wailuku River Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wailuku River Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Wailuku River amp oldid 1111034839, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
