Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 22, Number 8, 1 August 2005 — Communities across the state fight to return water to their streams [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Communities across the state fight to return water to their streams

The efforts to restore water to Central Maui streams represent just one I example of a series of community-driven I initiatives across the state seeking to retum I water diverted for decades by plantations, I most of whieh are now phasing out sugar. While its landmark legal victories have I provided a rallying point for Hawai'i I stream restoration efforts, the Waiāhole I community is still embroiled in its decadeI old contested case. But one thing is cerI tain: the water that has been returned to I Windward O'ahu streams as a result of I the community's efforts continues to have I an overwhelmingly positive impact on the I area's taro farmers and the environment. I Earthjustice attorney Kapua Sproat said I the restored water has helped to restock I Kāne'ohe Bay's fish nurseries quicker I than most people imagined. Meanwhile, an East Maui hui has I employed a two prong strategy to restore I water to its streams, whieh have also I been diverted by a sugar plantation ditch I system. The group, called Nā Moku Aupuni I o Ko'olau Hui, is currently contesting I Alexander & Baldwin and its subsidI iary's year-to-year revocable permits for I the water diverted from those ditches. In I addition, the group has petitioned the state I water commission to amend the interim I instream flow standards - the minimum I amount of water needed to provide for the I protection of, among other things, native I stream life and Native Hawaiian practices I - for 27 streams in East Maui. And with more than 90 percent of the I 376 perennial streams in Hawai'i being I diverted at least onee, more communities I may soon be fighting to put water back in I their streams.