UPDATE: Less Water Than Expected Put Back In West Maui Streams

Commission on Water Resource Management

The Hawaii Commission on Water Resource Management restored more than 12 million gallons per day to West Maui's largest streams. It might sound like a lot, but it's about one-third the amount recommended by one of its members last year.

The commission on Thursday issued its 248-page decision and order [pdf], setting interim instream flow standards for four streams — Waihee, Waiehu, Iao and Waikapu — that are together known as Na Wai Eha. Civil Beat covered the issue last month in a story titled "What Rules Maui Water, Law or Sugar?"

Going forward, no less than 12.5 million gallons will flow through the streams each day, but that's only a faction of the 60 million or 70 million gallons of fresh water that are diverted from Na Wai Eha each day for off-stream uses like Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Co.'s plantation.

In April 2009, commission hearings officer Dr. Lawrence Miike suggested that about half of the total flow — 34.5 million gallons per day — be returned to the streams. He provided a dissenting opinion Thursday.

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