LIHU‘E — A county-sponsored report on the Kilauea area irrigation and water systems has split members of the North Shore agricultural community who are already worried about the present and future sources of water needed to farm there.
“It has seriously divided the community,” said Hope and Tim Kallai of Malama Moloa‘a in an e-mail.
Farmers in Waiakalua near Kilauea are “worried about their secondary source of water,” they wrote. “Farmers in Moloa‘a whose perennial stream has gone dry and wells are failing due to (the) groundwater table dropping” are also worried.
Also troublesome to them is that public comments on the plan are only being accepted through Wednesday, a week after a public meeting was held on the study.
The report is available at www.srgii.com/projects/KilaueaIrrigationReport_April09.pdf.
It was prepared for the County of Kaua‘i Office of Economic Development by the O‘ahu-based Sustainable Resources Group International, Inc.
The executive summary indicates that the March 2006 failure of Ka Loko Dam, besides killing seven people, also decreased Ka Loko Reservoir’s capacity from 400 million gallons to 48 million gallons.
Several North Shore farmers had depended on water flowing from Ka Loko to irrigate their crops.
“The failure of the dam, corresponding loss of storage, and uncertainty over whether the structure will continue to be available for irrigation jeopardizes this water resource and those farmers who depend on it,” the summary states.
“During our evaluation of the existing system and investigation into alternative solution designs it became apparent that the most hydrologic and economically feasible alternative is to continue using the existing KICO (Kilauea Irrigation Company) system, including the Ka Loko Ditch, Dam and Reservoir,” the executive summary continues.
“The existing system has deficiencies with respect to the ditch network and mechanical components, as well as regulatory, legal and institutional issues that, unless resolved place the continued use of the system in jeopardy,” the summary states.
“However it is our conclusion that these deficiencies can be overcome, and with some improvements to both the infrastructure and operations, the system can continue to function into the foreseeable future.”
The summary states that James Pflueger, owner of the dam and most of the reservoir, has expressed support for restoring the system, as has the Mary Lucas Estate.
The Kallais wrote that two of the three alternatives considered in the report recommend use of what they say is an unpermitted stream diversion from Kalua‘a Stream carrying water meant for Moloa‘a Stream. That diversion, they contend, is the reason the Moloa‘a perennial stream is dry and wells are failing.
The Kallais did not respond to a telephone call and e-mail seeking further comment.
For information on how to comment on the report, call the county Office of Economic Development at 241-4946.
