Att HAER HAVO Water Collection System report

HISTORIC AMERICAN ENGINEERING RECORD

HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK WATER COLLECTION SYSTEM

HAER HI-76

Location:

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Volcano vicinity, Hawaii County, HI

Present Owner:

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Present Use:

Water collection system, some components of which are no longer in use

Significance:

The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Water Collection System is significant as an example of a system designed to provide water in an area where wells are not commonly used and represents changes in water collection technology in the twentieth century. In addition, the establishment of the water collection system supported the development of the park.

Historian(s):

Justine Christianson, HAER Historian, 2008

Project
Information:

The Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) is a long-range program that documents and interprets historically significant engineering sites and structures throughout the United States. HAER is part of Heritage Documentation Programs (Richard O’Connor, Manager), a division of the National Park Service, United States Department of the Interior. Laura C. Schuster, Chief, Cultural Resources Division, at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park facilitated the project. Todd Croteau, HAER, served as project leader, architect and photographer. Justine Christianson, HAER, produced the report.

HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK WATER COLLECTION SYSTEM

HAER No. HI-76

Part I. Historical Information

A. Physical History:

This report focuses on the water collection system that developed on the former Volcano House grounds in the park’s headquarters area. Originally, the park’s water collection system was located in the “Utility Area” near the park employee residences. The Volcano House hotel had a separate system to support its facilities.

1. Dates of Construction:

The old rain shed, Building No. 43, was built in 1924 by the Volcano House hotel.1
Six redwood tanks (Tank Nos. 7-12) had been erected next to the old rain shed by October 1947.2
Wood water tanks of various sizes were relocated from “Tank Hill” (located near the former Volcano House hotel) and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp to the vicinity of the old rain shed from 1949 to 1950.3 Three 500,000 gallon steel tanks and one 23,500 steel filter tank were in place by November 1957. An additional 500,000 gallon tank was erected the following year.4
A pump house containing the electric water pump, chlorination unit, and electric control system was constructed in 1957 with a sand trap located between it and