E ui aku ana au ia oe,
Aia i hea ka Wai a Kane?
Aia i lalo, i ka honua, i ka Wai hu,
I ka wai kau a Kane me Kanaloa
He waipuna, he wai e inu,
He wai e mana, he wai e ola,
E ola no, ea!
One question I ask of you:
Where flows the water of Kane?
Deep in the ground, in the gushing spring,
In the ducts of Kane and Loa,
A well-spring of water, to quaff,
A water of magic power-
The water of Life!
Life! O give us this life!
(Emerson; Unwritten Literature of Hawaii)
Precipitation includes rain, snow, and fog drip. Evapotranspiration is the water that is either evaporated directly into the atmosphere or that which is used by plants and transpired back into the atmosphere. Runoff is the component that contributes to streamflow.
Groundwater recharge is the component of precipitation that percolates into the subsurface and is not lost to the atmosphere via evapotranspiration. (Intera)
Fresh water travels down into the earth through a process called percolation. On the Hawaiian Islands, water first percolates through soil, if present, then through porous volcanic rock to the water table within the lava. (BWS)
During the volcanic eruptions that created the Hawaiian Islands, molten rock beneath the surface flowed up from the center of the volcanoes; dikes formed when magma stopped flowing to the surface, then cooled over time to form dense, nonporous rock.
Fresh water percolating down between the dikes compartment becomes trapped between the nearly impenetrable walls of the dikes. The water can only escape when its level rises and overflows the walls of the dike, or when great internal pressure causes leakage. Sometimes a freshwater spring will form above ground when such water spews from a dike. (BWS)
Sometimes percolating water becomes trapped when it meets layers of fine volcanic ash or clay-like soil that occur between the remnants of Hawaii’s ancient underground lava flows. This perched water can no longer seep downward, so it collects and moves sideways, sometimes appearing as a spring (BWS)
“Ka-houpo-o-Kāne (literally, The-bosom-of Kāne), is the sacred region of Mauna Kea (between the 10,000 – 11,000 foot elevation), in which are found the springs fed by Ka-wai-hū-a-Kāne; by a rivulet from Waiau to the head of Pōhakuloa Gulch.” (“Houpokāne is mistakenly written Hopukani on most maps dated after 1900.”) (Maly)
Ka Houpo o Kāne represents the springs of the island of Hawaii. (Vredenburg) “The area identified as Ka-houpo-o-Kāne is situated below Waiau, on the southwestern slopes of Mauna Kea, in the land of Ka‘ohe.”
“The god Kāne is believed to be foremost of the Hawaiian gods, and is credited with creation, procreation, light, waters of life, abundance, and many other attributes.”
“A land being likened to the chest of Kāne, can imply that the land was cherished and blessed by the god Kāne. … SN Hale‘ole’s tradition of Lā‘ie-i-ka-wai (In Kū ‘Oko‘a 1862-1863), records that “Kahoupokane” was one of three companions of Poli‘ahu. The other two companions were Lilinoe and Waiau.”
“The area identified as Ka-houpo-o-Kāne is situated below Waiau, on the southwestern slopes of Mauna Kea, in the land of Ka‘ohe.” (Maly)
“One of the primary attributes of Kāne are the wai ola (life giving waters), sacred springs and water sources made by Kāne around the islands, to provide for the welfare of the people and the land). Interestingly, at Kahoupo-o-Kāne are found the waters of Pōhakuloa, Hopukani, and Waihū (also known by the name “Ka-wai-hū-a-Kāne”). (Maly)
“A spring on the southern side of the mountain, called ‘Wai Hu,’ is believed by the natives to be connected with [Lake Waiau].” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, Sep 14, 1892)
“The few small springs on the glaciated peak of Mauna Kea in Hawaii are fed by ground water perched on and in glacial drift deposits. Their presence is note-worthy because of the light they throw on geologic history and on hydrologic principles rather than for the amount of water produced.”
“Springs in Hawaii fall into two chief categories: (1) high-level springs fed by ground-water bodies perched on or confined by intrusive bodies, ash beds, or modem or ancient soils and (2) basal springs fed from a great body of ground water which is kept in hydrostatic balance with sea water at a few feet above sea-level.” (Wentworth & Powers)
“Conditions on Mauna Kea favor rapid percolation of most rain and meltwater from the winter snow. Toward higher elevations rock-weathering becomes progressively more physical in type.”
“The largest springs on Mauna Kea are found at several points in the Waihu branch of Pohakuloa Valley, on the southwest slope between 8,900 and 10,400 feet.”
“The upper part of the Waihu springs area forms, in summer, a notably green little valley with many small patches of lush grass quite in contrast to the almost complete barrenness of the surrounding terrane, which is above timber line.”
“In the area to the east and up the slope from the springs are numerous small heaps of pre-European stone adz workings. Certain lava caves contain evidence of habitation, suggesting that the springs were frequented by adz workers.”
“In addition to these larger springs there are some dozens of smaller seeps where trickling water or greener vegetation shows the emergence of small amounts of ground water.” (Wentworth & Powers)
