Island History – The McBryde-Koloa War

In 1908, a conflict known as the McBryde-Koloa War broke out on Kaua‘i between Koloa Plantation Co. and McBryde Sugar Co. over irrigation rights to ‘Oma‘o Stream, its tributaries and branches.

McBryde had claimed a right to ‘Oma‘o waters since 1899, when it had purchased the land upon which ‘Oma‘o Stream flowed from Koloa’s Smith family. Koloa claimed its right, because it had used the waters long before McBryde’s acquisition. The prelude to the McBryde-Koloa War occurred between 1902 and 1905, when McBryde implemented a program of water development to divert ‘Oma‘o water and store it by strengthening one dam, constructing new dams and reservoirs, and by removing Koloa Plantation diverting dams — actions that deprived Koloa Plantation of water.

Koloa Plantation manager Ludwig Weinzheimer reacted to restore Koloa’s water on Dec. 2, 1907, by constructing one dam over ‘Oma‘o Stream and another over an easterly branch.

McBryde under manager William Stodart then countered on Jan. 29, 1908 by removing those dams. When Weinzheimer and his Koloa men took action the following night to rebuild the dams, which were guarded by McBryde men, confrontation ensued.

At one dam, Koloa men blasted a portion of the bank into the stream, and while McBryde men began shoveling it out, Koloa men shoveled dirt on top of them, prompting a scuffle, but the dam was rebuilt.

Koloa restored the second dam, also, and when McBryde men attempted to remove it, Koloa men pushed them away.

Thereafter, large numbers of Koloa men kept guard at both dams, with many McBryde men standing nearby ready to remove the dams at first opportunity, but no further conflicts occurred.

The McBryde-Koloa War ended on March 25, 1909, after a compromise agreement was reached that recognized Koloa’s water rights to a tributary of ‘Oma‘o Stream.