Team Maintained Hilo Bay Water Quality Buoy

Maintenance crews manage the Dewy buoy to track coastal pollution levels throughout the hurricane season.

Updated on Oct. 7, 2026 in Current Conditions

A yellow scientific buoy floating in calm tropical waters with a distant misty coastline in the background. — Maintenance crews continue to manage water quality monitoring buoys in Hilo Bay to track potential pollution levels flowing from the Wailuku River. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The Hilo Bay water quality buoy team has managed the ongoing operations of the Dewy monitoring device. This equipment serves as a critical tool for detecting pollution and run-off levels near the Wailuku River.

Why it matters

The buoy provides early indications of hazardous land-based run-off into the ocean, allowing officials to monitor coastal health. Maintaining such equipment during severe weather remains a challenge for regional ocean observing teams.

The Dewy buoy records environmental data every 15 minutes and transmits that information hourly. The device measures specific changes in salinity, turbidity, chlorophyll A, and oxygen levels in the coastal waters of Hilo Bay.

The players

Dewy

Dewy is water quality buoy-04, a specialized ocean monitoring device located offshore of the Wailuku River.

Hilo Bay water quality buoy team

This team is responsible for the maintenance, deployment, and emergency retrieval of ocean observing equipment in Hilo.

The details

The maintenance team performs routine cleaning and biofouling removal to ensure the equipment functions properly offshore. During severe events like Hurricane Lala, the team must conduct emergency retrievals to protect the hardware from damage.

The 2026 hurricane season presents recurring operational challenges for the buoy team.

Seasonal Patterns

The current management of the buoy follows the operational protocols and data monitoring patterns established during Hurricane Nolo.

Residents should remain aware of potential run-off advisories issued following heavy rainfall in Hilo Bay. Monitoring the buoy data helps the public stay informed about changes in coastal water quality that may affect local activities.

The takeaway

Maintaining specialized ocean equipment is essential for tracking the impact of severe storms on local water quality. Residents can rely on these devices to provide early warnings about pollutants entering the bay from land-based waterways.