While crews are restoring Highway 132 that was completely devastated by last Kilauea eruption…
There is small pond of green water growing at the bottom of Halemaumau Crater… And the color baffles scientists.
Highway 132 Restoration
Work crews have made great progress restoring Highway 132 from Pohoiki Road to Four Corners (the Red Road) following Kilauea Volcano’s lower east rift zone eruption.
The project is scheduled for completion by this October.
Still more sand has been deposited at Pohoiki Bay, making the beach less of a crescent shape.
New Pond of Water Is Growing in Halemaumau Crater
But perhaps most interesting are the changes that continue to reshape Halemaumau Crater and Kilauea Caldera.
The enormous funnel-shaped Halemaumau, over a mile in diameter, now has a steaming water pond at the bottom.
Scientists are continuing to investigate the source of the water that has appeared there.
Reports are that its temperature is around 150 degrees, it continues to slowly grow, and is the most curious shade of green… a very similar color to Green Lake inside Kapoho Crater, which was evaporated by Kilauea’s 2018 LERZ eruption.
Time will tell if the lake will get larger still and whether it will some day interact with lava re-entering the enormous crater.
This video and update was made by Bruce Omori, Mick Kalber and Paradise Helicopters’ pilot Robert Mitchell. Awesome!
