Public education and outreach are required elements of the Army’s Environmental Protection Agency MS4 permit to operate “small municipal separate storm sewer systems” in Hawai‘i. One way the Army has attempted to meet these requirements in Hawai‘i was to develop an educational program addressing stormwater-related problems in watersheds associated with military installations within the state. Working with specific public schools located on Army installations, the goal of this project was to introduce the students, their families, and their teachers to stormwater-related problems. The twoyear project successfully culminated with the presentation of a “WaterWorks Festival” incorporating reusable science-education exhibits developed by Bishop Museum specifically for this project.

The exhibits were designed to increase awareness of drainage-basin processes and stormwater-related environmental concerns. They identify activities with negative impacts and display ways the public can mitigate these negative impacts to improve water quality. The exhibits introduced concepts related to best-management stormwater-related practices to the students, their families, and their teachers.

The project’s primary objective was to provide education intended to help ameliorate negative impacts originating on Army installations while introducing best-management practices to public school students, their families, and their teachers living on these military bases.

A secondary goal was to increase awareness and understanding of other stormwater-related problems affecting the watersheds of central O‘ahu. Of particular concern was the Waikele Stream, identified as an “at-risk” watershed by the state of Hawai‘i, which is located, in part, on Army installations.