The Wettest Spots on Earth

Mauna Kahālāwai as seen from Wailuku, Maui, Hawaiʻi

"We travel ma uka to the mountain range known traditionally as Mauna Kahālāwai, The West Maui Mountains. The older of Maui’s two volcanoes, Mauna Kahālāwai is the backdrop of the district known as Nā Wai 'Ehā, the four famous waters of Maui. It is a composition of dark basalts formed from pāhoehoe lava eruptions and it stretches 18 miles long and 15 miles wide. Kahālāwai dates back some 1.3 million years. Literally, Kahālāwai translates as “the meeting of the waters.” There are many peaks and ridges within Kahālāwai, but its highest peak, Pu'u Kukui, stands 5,788 ft. and is located in the upper regions of the mountain on the Western end. It literally means "hill of light or enlightenment" and is used in poetry as a metaphor symbolizing a beacon of light illuminating Kahālāwai. From Kahālāwai comes Ka Wai Ola, the life giving waters of Kāne, the source of water that supports Central, South and West Maui. Mauna Kahālāwai is a glorious and beautiful mountain range with diverse topography ranging from lush, green landscapes to drier, red toned terrain, but it is not only esthetically pleasing, it is kūpuna, considered to be an ancestor of our race. Stop for a moment and take some time today to enjoy the splendor of Mauna Kahālāwai." - Luana Kawaʻa, Kumu Hula & Hawaiian Protocol Specialist

Mauna Kahālāwai (aka West Maui Mountains) shrouded in clouds.

As all Hawaiʻi residents know, Mount Waiʻaleʻale on Kauaʻi has always been famous for being "The Westtest Spot on Earth," with an average of 386 inches per year.  Second was Maui's own Puʻu Kukui, collecting an average of 361 inches per year.  But in recent years, that has changed.

In early 2012, a new #1 spot was recognized.  Known as "Big Bog," this area on the Hāna side of Haleakalā National Park went unnoticed for years because a rain gauge was not installed until 1992.  Now, twenty years later, enough data has been gathered to report Big Bog's rainfall at over 400+ inches per year!

Neighborhood of Wailuku Heights blanketed by clouds at the base of Mauna Kahālāwai.

So how can the island of Maui, home to 2 out of the top 3 highest rainfall areas on the planet, have water issues?  Continuous drought-related water restrictions.  A decade-long legal battle over water rights.  County Council members promising "new" water sources.

You can do plenty of research on your own about Maui's never-ending water problems because  something gets published every other week.  Or it seems that way.  And I'll just keep posting mountain photos taken from my second-story deck.