WAIAHOLE DITCH
CASE STUDY
SITUATION
Commercial sugarcane production was
established in leeward O'ahu in 1896.
In 1912 the Waiahole Water Company
was formed to construct a ditch and
tunnel system to divert stream and ground
water from windward areas (Waiahole to
Kahana) to the leeward sugar lands.
Star-Bulletin April 25, 1997
The total system is 40 km long, with almost 15
km of tunnels and an average flow rate of 100
mld. The flow of windward streams was
reportedly reduced by about 40 %.
With the closing of O'ahu Sugar Company in
early 1995, a struggle for the use of this water
has pitted windward farmers and residents
against leeward farmers, land owners and
developers.
CONTRASTING VIEWPOINTS
A Honolulu Advertiser article on October
6, 1996 (pp.B1&B4) offers the contrasting
viewpoints of :
Alan Oshima (attorney for the Waiahole
Irrigation Company, an Amfac subsidiary)
and
Vivien Lee (Waiahole resident)
Leeward arguments:
• Gravity flow water is cheaper
• Ditch water needed to recharge aquifer
• Leeward agriculture will improve state
economy
• High sunlight, productive conditions
Windward arguments:
• Restore streams and bay ecosystems
• Rejuvenate taro production (& Hawaiian
culture)
• Reduce “development of Leeward areas
• Encourage water reuse in Ewa
Star-Bulletin -- April 25, 1997
ROUGH WATER AHEAD
A coming decision has major implications
for water allocation --
By Pat Omandam
Star-Bulletin
Five years ago, Zeune Baccam decided growing cucumbers, string beans, soy, tomatoes, green onions and
eggplants for a living was far less demanding than his previous job raising money for the local Boy Scouts.
Today, Baccam, who immigrated from Laos to Hawaii in 1975, runs a successful cooperative of 30 small
vegetable farms in Mililani. But he said the stress has returned for all those whose livelihoods depend on
irrigation water from Waiahole Ditch.
"Without the water, we're finished," he said. "There's no other sources."
Kunia farmer Larry Jefts, whose watermelons and bell peppers grow plump with Waiahole water,
speculates it would be the end of farming on the Leeward plain if the ditch ran dry.
"That's not a hard call," Jefts said. "No water, and we're not here.”
...
Star-Bulletin Editorials
Friday, December 26, 1997
Sensible compromise on Waiahole Ditch
DIVIDING the 27 million gallons of water that flowed daily through the Waiahole Ditch to irrigate Leeward cane
fields was a task that could have taxed the wisdom of Solomon. The decision by the state Water Commission
strikes a balance between the needs of Windward and Leeward Oahu -- one that appears to give appropriate
consideration to both.
The commission's final decision allots 11.39 million gallons to Windward Oahu, almost twice the amount of its
earlier proposal. However, of that amount only 6 million gallons is guaranteed to remain on the Windward side of
the Koolaus. The other 5.39 million gallons would remain in Windward streams for the present but could be
diverted to Leeward Oahu in the future. An agricultural reserve of 1.58 million gallons, designated for Leeward
agriculture, would also remain on the Windward side for now. Leeward Oahu is awarded direct access to 15.61
million gallons, with the prospect of considerably more as needed.
Windward advocates denounced the decision, calling it politically motivated -- a charge that could have been
expected because they had proposed that all the Waiahole water remain on the Windward side. Their argument has
been that the water is needed to replenish streams that formerly nourished taro beds before the construction of the
ditch 81 years ago, and otherwise restore the environment.
However, even the minimum guaranteed allotment of six million gallons represents a historic shift of resources
back to the Windward side. And for the present at least, considerably more water would remain on the Windward
side.
...
Star-Bulletin
Wednesday, February 11, 1998
LEGISLATURE UPDATE
Waiahole Ditch purchase moves forward in Senate
But some folks claim the state purchase will benefit landowners, not farmers
By Pat Omandam
Waiahole farmer John Reppun has a lot of respect for Mililani farmers who depend on irrigation
Waiahole Ditch for their livelihoods.
Reppun, however, doesn't believe the state should pay $10.2 million to buy the ditch system, because the
state, by law, has sole control to regulate the 27 million gallons of water that flow through it each day.
The committees on Economic Development, and on Water, Land and Hawaiian Affairs, forwarded a
Senate bill that authorizes the state to spend $10.2 million in reimbursable general obligation bonds
to buy the Waiahole system. It would take about 20 years to pay off the bonds.
...
Expenses to the state
Purchase price of the ditch: $10.2 million
Estimated annual operating cost: $550,000
Cost of needed repairs: $1.2 million
Watersheds of Kaneohe Bay
Control gate at north portal of tunnel
(Star-Bulletin, April 5, 1997)
Flume in Uwao tunnel
Typical section of ditch
Redwood stave siphon
Gauge near Mililani
Reppun taro field in Waiahole
Waiahole farmer, Sisuke Serikaku
(Star-Bulletin July 12, 1998)
RESOLUTION(?)
This case came before the Hawaii Water
Commission in 1996. The Commission’s
decision was to split the water flow so that
allocation is as follows:
• 40 mld (maximum) to Leeward agriculture
• 4 mld to non-agricultural Leeward uses
• 6 mld to “future agriculture”
(Leeward or Windward)
• 50 mld to Waiahole stream
The remainder and any Leeward allocations
not actually used, revert to the Windward
side.
This decision is being appealed by several
parties.
In 1999 the State purchased the ditch for
$8.5 million -- users will be charged
35 cents per 4000 liters.
Small group discussion. Assume 50% of ditch flow is
restored to Windward Streams.
1) Divide into groups of 3 – 4 students to discuss:
Economic/Social/Policy Issues:
• costs/benefits of reducing ditch flow to Windward or
Leeward communities,
• potential for agriculture development – both
Windward and Leeward,
• what is the “community interest”?
2)
Develop a research question
3)
Outline a research project to study this question
4)
Report back to the whole class