Wailuku River

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Wailuku River is a 26 mile (42 km) long water course on the Island of Hawai'i in the Hawaiian Islands. It is the longest river in the State of Hawai'i and its course lies mostly along the divide between the lava flows of Mauna Kea and those of Mauna Loa to the south, mostly. It arises at about the 10,800 ft (3300 m) elevation along the eastern slope of Mauna Kea. It flows generally eastward, descending steeply from the mountain and entering the Pacific Ocean at Hilo.

Waterfalls along the river include Rainbow Falls and the Boiling Pots (a series of small falls and pools). The upper and middle reaches of the river are known for hunting of introduced game animals. The lower river is a popular destination for swimming and tubing. Wailuku River State Park is located along the lower reach of the river.

The lower reach of the river is used for the generation of hydroelectricity. The flow at Hilo averages 275 cubic feet per second (8 m³/s) with peak flows 40 times as great. The stream carries an average of 10 tons of suspended sediment into Hilo Bay each day.