WAILUKU, Msui (AP) — An aquatics biologist with the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources say it is hard to tell how the increased freshwater in Maui’s Iao Stream is affecting freshwater species.
The Maui News reports (http://bit.ly/1fLeuQZ ) that Skippy Hau presented data from his 15-year study of the stream animals Tuesday at the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation 2015 Conference at the Hawaii Convention Center on Oahu.
His study, which was conducted from 2000 to 2014, comes after Wailuku Water Co. in October began releasing 10 million gallons of water into the stream each day under a settlement agreement. The water had been diverted for a sugar plantation.
Hau says it is too soon to tell how the water will affect aquatic life, but that he believes the animals will come back naturally.