Hawaii First Water

Archives for February 2017

Hawaii decision on water use could shutter billionaire’s Lanai golf course

February 2017; Shimogawa: Hawaii Business News: When the billionaire co-founder of Oracle Corp., Larry Ellison, purchased the majority of the Hawaiian island of Lanai for $300 million in 2012, there was at least one major unresolved issue on the Pineapple Island — the water used at the Manele Golf Course near the Four Seasons Resort Lanai.

Nearly five years later, the issue is still unresolved. But this year, a final decision could be made by the Hawaii Land Use Commission, which could ultimately change the land classification of the Manele Golf Course back to rural and agricultural districts from urban districts — and effectively shut down the course.

 Manele Golf Course is the only remaining major course on the island as the other course — Koele — which had been closed for renovations, will not reopen, as first reported by Pacific Business News. Ellison also has big plans for his Manele Golf Course, beyond just golf. The tech titan plans to hold up to 40 special events hosting hundreds of guests each year on two locations at Manele, as first reported by PBN.

In that year, the state Land Use Commission approved the reclassification of nearly 150 acres of land for the development of the 18-hole golf course. A condition of that ruling noted that Lanai Resorts, the entity that owned the course, could not use the potable water from the high-level groundwater aquifer for the golf course irrigation use. The ruling also said that the company will instead need to use only alternative non-potable sources of water such as brackish water and reclaimed sewage effluent for golf course irrigation requirements.

See the rest of the article here…

Maui residents protest diversion of Maui water

Feb 2017: WAILUKU, Hawaii (AP) – Maui residents are calling on Hawaii land owner Alexander & Baldwin to disclose the impacts of the company’s proposed 30-year lease for water from island streams.

The Maui News reports that the company’s subsidiary, Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co., is seeking 115 million gallons of water per day for future diversified agriculture on about 30,000 acres of old sugar fields. The sugar plantation ceased its operations in December.

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Deep dive into the (Kona) aquifer dispute

February:

By Cameron Miculka West Hawaii Today cmiculka@westhawaiitoday.com

HONOKOHAU — Centuries ago, those who lived here knew how special this place was.

It’s here, at what is now Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, that the water flows beneath the ground and out to the bay, mixing with the saltwater to create an environment perfect for the ‘ama‘ama, or mullet, whose predators can’t tolerate the lower salinity.

The ancient Hawaiians knew this, and they took advantage of the fish’s movements by constructing a massive wall to create the Kaloko Fishpond.

By using channels and gates in the wall that controlled the fish’s entrances and exits, they were able to create a sustainable source of food for themselves.

Today, the mullet, awa and papio still swim back and forth through the channels built into the ancient wall, currently being reconstructed by park masons.

Nearby, seemingly lifeless anchialine pools teem with opae ula, the tiny red shrimp that make their homes in the brackish pools.

But park rangers here fear that increased use of the island’s limited freshwater resources at current and proposed wells, combined with decreased rainfall and rising sea levels, could upset the delicate ecosystem that relies on the balance of fresh and salt water.

As a result, they’re asking the state Commission on Water Resource Management to step in and designate the Keauhou Aquifer, which covers a vast region from Makalawena Beach to north of Kealakekua Bay, a water management area.

Designation would give the Park Service a chance to weigh in on the future of water withdrawals in the area.

That would include for any applications by developers to build new wells mauka of the park’s boundary. By having a chance to challenge permits, park staff could officially voice their concerns about potential impacts those wells could have on the park’s ecosystems.

Not everyone is on board with the proposal though.

Opponents to designating the aquifer say the National Park Service hasn’t shown any evidence that there’s a problem. Commission staff have already filed a report recommending against the designation, instead offering several alternative recommendations.

A hearing on the proposal is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Tuesday (14 Feb) at the West Hawaii Civic Center.

See the rest of the article here

Upcoming AWWA and Hawaii Water Environment Association Conference This Week

February: The American Water Works Association Hawai‘i Section and the Hawai‘i Water Environment Association are proud to announce the fourth annual joint conference now known as the Pacific Water Conference at the Hawai‘i Convention Center from February 14 – 16, 2017.  Our joint conference committee is hard at work to bring you an exciting, fun, and educational conference.

The Pre-Conference Workshop kicks things off on Tuesday, February 14. The Conference officially opens on Wednesday, February 15 and lasts through Thursday, February 16.  Join us at the Convention Center Kamehameha Exhibit Hall I to cheer on this year’s operator competitions featuring HWEA’s Operations Challenge and AWWA’s Pipe Tapping and Top Ops events.  Remember to check out the exhibitors showcasing the newest and latest products in the industry.  With five technical session tracks to choose from, there’s sure to be one that piques your interest.   The conference golf tournament will be held on Friday, February 17 at the Ala Wai Golf Course, and the community service event will take place on Saturday, February 18.

We look forward to seeing all of you at the Conference!

Aloha,

Puna Kaneakua | Susan Mukai | Emily Dong pacificwatercon@gmail.com 2017 Conference Chairs

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