Water Resources Research Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa
Abstract
Water samples collected from various surface and sub-surface sources on the island of Oahu were analyzed for tritium levels. Tritium activity levels in twenty-five monthly rainwater samples show a seasonal dependence with a maximum in the summer (18.5 to 23 TU) and a minimum in the winter (12 TU). Samples from two surface-water reservoirs had activities of 13.2 and 19.7 TU reflecting contemporary rainwater which is their major source of recharge. Four streams in the Pearl Harbor area showed "rainwater" tritium levels when sampled at high flow. At low flow, two of the streams had low tritium levels indicating ground-water discharge into the stream, while the tritium activity of the other two streams was conparable to rainwater. Tritium activity higher than that of contemporary rainwater (22-38 TU) was exhibited by samples from two springs which discharge perched water, while samples from three wells and two shafts in the Honolulu area showed very little or no tritium activity. Multiple-depth samples obtained from wells in the Pearl Harbor area showed correlations between tritium activities, depths of sampling, and chloride concentrations.OWRR Project No. A-021-HI , Grant Agreement No. 14-31-0001-3011 The programs and activities described herein were supported in part by funds provided by the United States Department of the Interior as authorized under the Water Resources Act of 1964, Public Law 88-379
