Update: State cancels high bacteria notification for Big Island’s Kolekole Gulch

Update at 6:54 p.m. Aug. 1: The Hawai‘i Department of Health canceled the high bacteria notification for Kolekole Gulch on the Big Island, reporting water sample retesting shows enterococci levels no longer exceed the acceptable threshold.

Original post from 5:10 p.m. July 31: The Hawai‘i State Department of Health is retesting Kolekole Gulch on the Big Island.

Levels of 1652 per 100 mL were detected during routine beach monitoring – but the Department of Health is uncertain about the representativeness of the first sample.

This beach has historically met the acceptable beach threshold level, and there is no known source of fecal contamination. Therefore, the Department of Health has collected another sample and is retesting the site.

The Department of Health will update the notification based on the results of this retesting.

For more information, view an interactive map here and the EPA webpage dedicated to health at the beach.