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american samoa - University of Hawaii at Manoa Botany Department

american samoa - University of Hawaii at Manoa Botany Department

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the lower bank above mean sea level. Mangroves were planted downstream <strong>of</strong> the foot bridgeth<strong>at</strong> connects Pago Park and the vehicular parking area <strong>at</strong> Pago Plaza (Steele, 1996).Between Route 1 and the Vaipito Stream/Pago Stream confluence, an additional 205 trees wereplanted in l<strong>at</strong>e December, 1996. This restor<strong>at</strong>ion effort primarily included the planting <strong>of</strong> ifiand falaga. With the presence <strong>of</strong> more riparian veget<strong>at</strong>ion along this stream segment, fewertrees were required for stream bank restor<strong>at</strong>ion (Steele, 1996).Despite these aggressive efforts, lower Vaipito Stream remains a highly degraded plant habit<strong>at</strong>.There is no utuutu or vao tuaniu, or n<strong>at</strong>ive marsh veget<strong>at</strong>ion along the stream banks. Therealso is very little falaga or ifi along the stream banks. Their absence, combined with thepresence <strong>of</strong> banana, mango, and kapok are indic<strong>at</strong>ive <strong>of</strong> disturbance.AQUATIC FISH AND INVERTEBRATESGeneralOn November 4, 1999, Charles Chong <strong>of</strong> the PPC field survey team made observ<strong>at</strong>ions <strong>of</strong>aqu<strong>at</strong>ic fish and invertebr<strong>at</strong>es along selected portion <strong>of</strong> lower Vaipito Stream. An upland siteloc<strong>at</strong>ion was also investig<strong>at</strong>ed along Utumoa Stream, a significant upland tributary <strong>of</strong> VaipitoStream (Figure 6-3). His observ<strong>at</strong>ions are summarized in the following paragraphs.Stream flows observed during the survey weregenerally fast-moving along the length <strong>of</strong> lowerVaipito Stream. A flow <strong>of</strong> about 2 to 3 cfs wasobserved <strong>at</strong> the Vaipito Stream mouth. Thestream mouth termin<strong>at</strong>ed with a fast riffleentering inner Pago Pago Harbor.A considerable amount <strong>of</strong> household garbageand other solid waste m<strong>at</strong>erial was observedthrough much <strong>of</strong> the stream course.FishAn individual unidentified goby was observedalong Utumoa Stream. Three unidentifiedindividual gobies were documented in a poolbelow a small gage dam. With the exception <strong>of</strong>these fish, the only other fish observed along thestream were Poecilia.Kuhlia and Mugil spp. were abundant near theVaipito Stream mouth. However, Kuhlia spp. wasabsent upstream <strong>of</strong> the stream mouth.American Samoa Wetland/Stream Restor<strong>at</strong>ion and Enhancement PlanFebruary 2001, Vaipito Stream, Page 6-7

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