Littoral Sedimentary Processes — Inman, Gayman and Cox 
111 
TABLE 1 
Rainfall, Runoff, and Sediment Composition for Drainage Basins on Kauai 
BEACH sand 
SAMPLE 
NEAREST 
DRAINAGE BASIN 
river basin above gaging station 
RIVER 
Desig- 
nation* 
Area 
(sq 
statute 
miles) 
Mean 
Annual 
Temp.f 
(°F) 
Mean 
Annual 
Rainfall 
(inches) 
Effective 
Precipi- 
tation! 
(inches) 
Desig- 
nation* 
River 
Drainage 
Area 
(sq 
statute 
miles) 
Runofff 
(inches) 
Maximum 
Inst. Flow 
(cubic ft/ 
sec) 
No. 
% Car- 
bonate 
A 
86 
70 
30 
18 
B 
96 
69 
70 
53 
5 
Waimea 
45.0 
45.0 
372 ' 
24 
1.3 
C 
64 
69 
76 
55 
4 
Hanapepe 
20.5 
52.1 
487 
30 
4.2 
D 
27 
70 
67 
50 
E 
144 
67 
128 
100 
3 
S. Wail u a 
22.4 
81.0 
265 
47 
80.0 
2 
N. Wailua 
14.6 
99.8 
2045 
47 
80.0 
1 
Anahola 
5.5 
53.5 
1010 
65 
90.0 
F 
78 
69 
134 
101 
10 
Hanalei 
19.2 
196.0 
1130 
71 
62.0 
9 
Waioli 
1.6 
277.0 
930 
74 
76.0 
G 
40 
67 
169 
130 
8 
Lumahai 
7.1 
230.0 
1090 
76 
62.0 
7 
Wainiha 
14.7 
91.9 
211 
78 
55.0 
H 
14 
67 
93 
70 
6 
Hanakapiai 
2.6 
102.0 
1600 
85 
85.0 
* Refers to Figure 3. 
t Adjusted for mean elevation of basin, assuming 3 F. decrease per 1000 ft altitude. Station temperature from Macdonald, 
Davis, and Cox (I960: 114). 
| Precipitation at a mean temperature of 50 F. required to produce the actual runoff. Runoff obtained from mean annual 
rainfall (extrapolation from Langbein et al., 1949: fig. 2); effective precipitation obtained from annual runoff (Langbein and 
Schumm, 1958: fig. 1). 
§ Annual river discharge divided by the drainage area. River discharge from Territorial Planning Board (1939). 
obtained by generalizing from the wave sum- 
mary given by the Corps of Engineers (1955: 
appendix B) and from specific storm descrip- 
tions. such as that of Arthur ( 1948) . Review of 
these data suggests that the wave and wind re- 
gime can conveniently be classed in the follow- 
ing manner (Fig, 1): 
1. Northeast Trades: Swell generated by the 
prevailing northeasterly winds. These waves are 
present all year, but are largest from April 
through November. Waves typically have pe- 
riods of 5-8 sec, are 4-12 ft in height, and 
approach from the east-northeast. 
2. Kona Storms: Waves generated by intense 
winds, associated with local fronts or Hawaiian 
lows of extra-tropical origin. The wind may 
vary in direction from south through west to 
north, and usually blows hardest from the south- 
west. These storms are not frequent, but occur 
most commonly from November through 
March. Waves accompanying these storms typi- 
cally have periods of 8-10 sec, are 10—15 ft 
high, and are most intense from the southwest. 
3. Winter Swell from Aleutian and Mid-lati- 
tude Lows : Waves from this source are inter- 
mittent, and can occur throughout the year, but 
are most intense from October through May. 
Typical waves have periods of 10-17 sec, are 
8-14 ft high, and may approach from the north- 
west, north, and northeast. 
4. Southern Swell: Long, low waves generated 
by storms in the southern hemisphere, and most 
prevalent from June through September. Typical 
waves have periods of 14-22 sec, are 1-4 ft high, 
and approach from the southeast through the 
southwest. 
