At the Hanalei Watershed Hui’s 10th anniversary celebration yesterday, the kayak rides and water quality demonstrations just couldn’t compete with the “star of the show” — a van.

Well, not just any van. The Hui’s brand new mobile water quality lab allows hydrologist Matt Rosener to expand his water-testing operations from Hanalei Bay and Hanalei River to other areas, according to Hanalei Watershed Hui Executive Director Maka‘ala Ka‘aumoana.

Hanalei Watershed Hui has, to this point, focused “mauka” of the bay, working to study the effects of sewage treatment as well as natural phenomenon like rock slides, animal waste and rainwater runoff.

“All the data we collect is another piece of the puzzle,” said Rosener, “and there are a lot of pieces.”

Ka‘aumoana said that the plan for the future is to widen the group’s focus to include nearshore marine issues, and to eventually develop what she an integrated resource management plan.

The Hui, an environmental nonprofit, was begun 10 years ago to provide stewardship of the Hanalei River. The organization tests water quality, informs the community of flooding and “brown water” warnings, repairs hiking trails, restores fishponds, reduces cesspool contamination and monitors the coral reef, according to literature available yesterday.

Ka‘aumoana said the Hanalei waterway — one of just 14 nationwide to be honored as American Heritage Rivers during President Bill Clinton’s second term — is one of the only navigable rivers in the state and is a very important estuary.

“It’s a river that’s in really good shape,” she said.

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(Source: Michael Levine, Kauai Garden Island News)