Water And Power In West Maui

Water and Power in West Maui draws our attention to the ways control of water resources, in West Maui and across Hawai'i, has been key to the creation and perpetuation of political and economic power and privilege. This volume, by two leading advocates for progressive change in Hawai'i, highlights what has been only touched on by previous volumes on water law or land tenure in the islands, and with specific attention to the environment, history, and communities of West Maui. Individually, chapters on physical and legal infrastructure are invaluable stand-alone guides to key aspects of water management in the state and this area. For instance, one chapter covers recent efforts by the state to restore stream flows, a topic that is otherwise little addressed in published literature. This volume also dives into the inherent failures and unsustainability of the state of Hawai'i's management of groundwater by "sustainable yield," which will have profound implications for the future of Hawai'i water supplies in a changing climate. As a whole, with clear explanations of historical transformation and ongoing bureaucratic practice, the authors identify liberating paths forward. Rather than another treatise on how past bad practices set up a beleaguered present, they suggest how water and power in West Maui and Hawai'i can be better shared for an enduring prosperity for the diverse people within these communities. This volume will be of interest to scholars and historians, and a must-read for practitioners in water management and control, and contemporary environmental and indigenous struggles in Hawai'i and the Pacific.

Groundwater flow model for West Maui. Data is from the following sources: Whittier, R. and A.I. El-Kadi. 2014. Human and Environmental Risk Ranking of Onsite Sewage Disposal Systems For the Hawaiian Islands of Kauai, Molokai, Maui, and Hawaii - Final. Prepared by the University of Hawaii, Dept. of Geology and Geophysics for the State of Hawaii Dept. of Health, Safe Drinking Water Branch. September 2014; and Whittier, R.B., K. Rotzoll, S. Dhal, A.I. El-Kadi, C. Ray, G. Chen, and D. Chang. 2004. Hawaii Source Water Assessment Program Report - Volume V - Island of Maui Source Water Assessment Program Report. Prepared for the Hawaii Department of Health, Safe Drinking Water Branch. University of Hawaii, Water Resources Research Center. Updated 2008.

"The West Maui Water Owner's Manual is a collection of recommendations for protecting for protecting and improving water quality and ocean resources in West Maui. The Owner Manual recommends actions for all the watershed's residents and users, and identifies specific tasks for which the large plantations, government agencies, and individual residents should be responsible. It is a comprehensive plan for protecting both drinking water sources and coastal waters. Recommendations spelled out in the Owners Manual include more erosion control for agricultural land and construction sites, improved management practices for landscape and agricultural fertilizer use, a protective program for drinking water supplies, better drainage designs for new developments, and more effective algae removal programs"--Summary.

Much of the public water supply in the Lahaina District, west Maui, Hawai'i, is pumped from a freshwater lens in volcanic rocks.