Wailuku River
Template:Use American English Template:Infobox river The Wailuku River is a Template:Convert<ref name=NHD>U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map Template:Webarchive, accessed April 28, 2011</ref> water course on the [[Hawaii (island)|Island of HawaiTemplate:Okinai]] in the Hawaiian Islands. It is the longest river in Hawai'i and the largest in the state by mean discharge. Its course lies mostly along the divide between the lava flows of Mauna Kea and those of Mauna Loa to the south. It arises at about the Template:Convert elevation along the eastern slope of Mauna Kea (Template:Coord). It flows generally eastward, descending steeply from the mountain and entering the Pacific Ocean at Hilo.<ref>Template:Cite gnis</ref>
Wailuku River State Park is located along the lower reach of the river. One section of the park includes Rainbow Falls (Template:Coord), and another section PeTemplate:OkinaepeTemplate:Okinae falls and an area called the Boiling Pots (a series of small falls and pools).<ref>Wailuku River Template:Webarchive official state park web site</ref> It is also one of the deadliest bodies of water in the state, as the river is not guarded and can behave unpredictably.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The lower reach of the river is used for the generation of hydroelectricity.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The flow at Hilo averages 275 cubic feet per second (8 m³/s) with peak flows 40 times as great. Water flow is monitored by the USGS.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The stream carries an average of 10 tons of suspended sediment into Hilo Bay each day, at Template:Coord.
The river has been the site of sewage leaks<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and is the subject of water quality research.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Water advisories are posted online by the State of Hawaii. There is a plan for restoration of the Hilo Bay watershed that includes characterization of the Wailuku River.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In the Hawaiian language, Template:Lang means fresh water and Template:Lang means destruction, so it means essentially River of Destruction.<ref>Template:Hawaiian Dictionaries</ref> The river can rise into the trees and drop back down very fast. The high flood marks can be seen dated in concrete, on the stairs going down to the river behind the Hilo Public Library.
According to legend, the river was created in a battle between the god Maui and the lizard monster Kuna.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The river is rated Class 5 white water and has been navigated by experts on kayak.<ref>Template:CitationTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
