[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6631438,"mediaKeyId","2679820-d99ccff4d17400826d1d5f333a456dc8","parentId",2679820,"title","Commission adopts revised Agricultural Water Use and Development Plan with conditions; DOA will collaborate on editorial updates","audioSeconds",2726,"startMs",5656000,"endMs",8382000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2679820-d99ccff4d17400826d1d5f333a456dc8&start=5656&end=8382","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2679820-d99ccff4d17400826d1d5f333a456dc8/thumbnail_5656000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6631438/Hawaii/Commission-adopts-revised-Agricultural-Water-Use-and-Development-Plan-with-conditions-DOA-will-collaborate-on-editorial-updates","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6631438-fe65b1cd9e4ee466164b1583d286580a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770977992&Signature=mjV5icSzwtkvmxHFnfgQRgmjoEgPCOl9SlHuI5DpuzClIcghsLz66izf-GJjO5tUVPCiMkOJBO735uQtKu5sffUg1RFtCP3mID6fkXLpyCf46tlQIYTGAFUmBuVGdvbO~S6RyohuP3n65h4g9ecCKtKKK5Aevmj8avmWk7-AT-cGYM1AFKbVBrbTdQNT4ZCRCYTC3j6zUL5HtZe21ri25SNHUqMhSPb6rpCQzloq7QDnKs-3tex-gJc8gVFRyDuCrlwGn8RCOJ-5OMWSvnjy5PVC87ligmZ70S~o5IOWLT6mMDOmbMVhtKD~tibUCXoy6LREFzqSdocXSEE~42E3Vw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Hawaii - Water Resource Management, Commission on","date","2025-03-19T01:03:56.03Z","article","At its March 18 meeting the Commission on Water Resource Management adopted the Department of Agriculture’s revised Agricultural Water Use and Development Plan (2019 plan, revised 2021) for incorporation into the Hawaii Water Plan, approving the plan subject to a package of staff conditions intended to improve clarity, usability and connection to other water planning materials.

What staff recommended and what commissioners approved
- Staff recommended adoption but identified several gaps and recommended eight conditions to make the plan more useful to planners and decision‑makers. Key staff recommendations included: adding hyperlinks and an accessible table of contents; cross‑referencing the original 2004 plan for continuity; updating capital improvement project (CIP) cost estimates (2018 dollars in the plan) to reflect current costs; committing the Department of Agriculture to participate in the Agribusiness Development Corporation’s (ADC) strategic planning so ADC CIP plans can inform future updates; adding cautionary language that the plan’s water demand tables may not apply everywhere and recommending use of the IWREDS model as an alternative or supplemental tool; and linking the 2020 State Water Projects Plan and directing more timely consultation with Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) for future updates.
- DOA staff and their consultant attended the meeting and accepted many of the editorial and collaborative conditions but said they could not complete a full CIP dollar‑figure update for 2025 within the current work scope and budget. Commission staff and DOA agreed to administrative steps (hyperlinking, adding clarifying language) before the plan is posted as adopted and to address the larger cost‑update work in the next plan revision.

Why commissioners pressed for changes
- Commissioners and staff emphasized that table 1‑30 in the plan — a set of generic per‑acre/ per‑crop water demand rates compiled from DOA interviews and meter data — should not be used as the sole basis for permit or allocation decisions because water demand varies widely by elevation, soil type, irrigation efficiency, crop, and climate. Staff recommended (and the commission required, as a condition) that the plan itself warn readers that demand rates are context dependent and to recommend the Commission’s IWREDS tool when a site‑specific estimate is needed.
- Commissioners also asked that DOA coordinate with the Agribusiness Development Corporation on CIP prioritization for plantation irrigation systems, and that future updates explicitly incorporate DHHL needs so the plan better reflects all statewide agricultural water obligations.

What DOA agreed to at the meeting
- DOA agreed to work with Commission staff to add hyperlinks and references so readers can easily access the 2004 plan and appendices, to include clarifying language that demand tables are a planning guideline rather than a one‑size‑fits‑all rule, and to participate in ADC strategic planning so the next plan can include prioritized CIP lists. DOA said it will address larger, more resource‑intensive updates (for example a full 2025 CIP dollar update) in the next formal plan revision rather than in a last‑minute amendment to the current document.

Vote and next steps
- The commission voted 5–0 to adopt the plan as amended by the agreed conditions. DOA and Commission planning staff will coordinate the agreed administrative edits, post the adopted plan with hyperlinks and explanatory language, and document DOA’s commitments for the next update.

Speakers (selected)
- Katie Roth — Planning Branch, Commission (staff presenter)
- Janice Fujimoto — Dept. of Agriculture, Agricultural Resource Management Division (DOA presenter)
- Brian Ishii — Consultant to DOA (technical consultant)

Clarifying details captured in the record
- The plan supplements, it does not replace, the 2004 Agricultural Water Use and Development Plan; readers should consult both documents for a full system inventory for legacy plantation systems.
- DOA’s 2021 work surveyed over 100 farms and augmented the older single‑rate approach with a range of demand rates by crop, climate and irrigation type; staff asked DOA to add stronger caveats and point readers to IWREDS for site‑specific estimations.

Why this matters
- The agricultural water plan is part of the Hawaii Water Plan and informs county water planning, CIP prioritization and state discussions about agricultural water infrastructure. As water supplies tighten with climate change and competing uses, commissioners said the plan must present demand estimates and infrastructure needs in a way that supports consistent, defensible decisions on permits and allocations.

Provenance (evidence spans)
- topicintro: transcript timestamp 9256.55–9334.095 — Katie Roth presentation summarizing the plan and staff conditions.
- topfinish: transcript timestamp 13975.575–13982.155 — Motion to adopt as amended passed with a recorded vote of 5–0.

Searchable tags: agricultural_water_plan, DOA, IWREDS, ADC, DHHL, water_demand, CIP","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","March 18, 2025 Monthly Water Commission Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The commission adopted the Department of Agriculture’s revised Agricultural Water Use and Development Plan (2019 plan revised 2021), subject to staff‑recommended conditions to improve usability and to better link the plan to other state water planning resources.","taxTitle","Water Resource Management, Commission on, Executive , Hawaii","taxId",26073,"location","Hawaii","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6631447,"Commission approves permits, funding agreements; Ouli Farms application withdrawn",940,414000,1354000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2679820-d99ccff4d17400826d1d5f333a456dc8&start=414&end=1354","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2679820-d99ccff4d17400826d1d5f333a456dc8/thumbnail_414000.jpg","/articles/6631447/Hawaii/Commission-approves-permits-funding-agreements-Ouli-Farms-application-withdrawn","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6631447-627ac262d5c7452077256e5e58d366e9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770977992&Signature=Osqa68c4QpnrZBVopov9zaNy57lJhUs~RHD2RLEmxOxbjVBX0ikeMV4g15XQT0vzmn7Sa7bOdBnbiPEsNoxbNIlZVxFsx30ohlrye3s9~kWWcZXt7fzZxlSVLfLRaGruzNDwXMpWjY6Mz3TsU2v~m08XfQeoq4kMBmyz6NQkUDssHNaFlulcrTR8m8xxxV0cVbOYbRqiRH6HzOjRjq9WIQuFr30NTM0~d38Xm44yR5SDGBctEBC~0LdBAVISNxrRz0sPvPYknx3VoLCkADfAXgeD8OD8GntR--QTscplkR0j87GHqQFEy6U4k~eAA8MhUqj9yI5ferBdeJXRW9fk2g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Commission on Water Resource Management met March 18, 2025, in Honolulu and took final action on several staff recommendations, approving multiple permits and a funding agreement and adopting an agricultural water plan. Commissioners also heard public comment on a large subdivision stream crossing (Ouli Farms) and the applicant withdrew that application rather than seek a vote.

Why it matters: The votes finalize permit conditions and funding that affect groundwater monitoring, municipal and private water infrastructure, and statewide agricultural water planning. Several approvals include special conditions intended to limit local impacts or require extra monitoring.

Key outcomes (motions and votes)
- A1 — Approval of minutes (02/18/2025): Motion to approve the draft minutes passed. (Roll call recorded; motion approved.)

- B1 — Waikapu Country Town wells (pump installation permits): The commission approved issuance of pump installation permits for two existing Waikapu Country Town wells subject to staff’s standard conditions and special conditions. Notable added conditions included requiring a diver/pressure transducer in the non‑pumped well during the pump test, hourly water‑level readings 3 days before and after a constant rate pump test, submission of pump test results within 30 days, and explicit coordination of the pump test with Maui Department of Water Supply so the county can monitor conductivity and chlorides during tests. Motion passed (approved as amended).

- B2 — Kahawiki Stream channel alteration permit (Army Garrison Hawaii/Public Works): The commission approved a stream channel alteration permit for a soil‑nail/shotcrete stabilization system on Kahawiki Stream at Fort Shafter, subject to the staff conditions and delegation to the deputy to add any State Historic Preservation Division concurrence conditions when received. The motion carried on the floor with a recorded 4–1 vote.

- B3 — South Wilder Road (Kaumana Stream) culvert replacement (County of Hawaii): The commission approved the county’s request to replace twin 96‑inch corrugated metal culverts with two 8‑ft by 8‑ft precast box culverts and to rehabilitate the channel. The commission amended a Division of Aquatic Resources recommendation on the riprap detail: the condition was revised to direct the use of 8–12 inch rubble boulders rather than 3‑foot boulders (larger boulders could change hydraulics and increase scour). Motion passed with 5 votes.

- B4 — Ouli Farms subdivision — stream channel alteration permit (Wailaula Stream): After extensive public comment and sustained commissioner concern about segmentation, the absence of a comprehensive environmental assessment under HRS chapter 343, water supply uncertainties, and incomplete consultation with native Hawaiian stakeholders and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, the applicant withdrew the stream channel alteration application for the bridge crossing. No permit was issued.

- B5 — Agricultural Water Use and Development Plan (2019 plan, revised 2021): The commission adopted the DOA’s revised Ag Water Use and Development Plan for incorporation into the Hawaii Water Plan, with conditions from commission staff (see separate coverage). Motion to adopt as amended passed 5–0.

- B6 — Joint funding agreement (JFA) with U.S. Geological Survey: The commission found the JFA for siting a deep monitor well in the Laniapolco (West Maui) aquifer area exempt from an environmental assessment under HRS chapter 343 rules cited in the staff analysis, authorized the chair to enter into the federal FY2025 JFA (total Phase 1 budget $180,000: Commission $75,000, Maui DWS $75,000, USGS $30,000), and delegated authority to the chair to modify the agreement provided there is no increase in the commission’s share. Motion passed 5–0.

What the approvals require of applicants and staff
- Pump testing and monitoring: The Waikapu wells approval requires coordinated pump testing with continuous (hourly) transducer monitoring and submission of results so final pump capacities can be set by data.
- Cultural and historic review: Stream‑alteration permits approved for Fort Shafter and the South Wilder Road project were conditioned on receipt of concurrence or comments from the State Historic Preservation Division and on implementing Division of Aquatic Resources guidance.
- Engineering details: The Kaumana Stream approval included an engineered amendment to a DAR recommendation about riprap size, changed to smaller (8–12 inch) boulders to avoid adverse hydraulic impacts.

Public comment and context
- Several items drew public comment or interagency concerns during the meeting. Ouli Farms generated the most extensive public testimony from residents, Hawaiian homestead representatives and Native Hawaiian organizations expressing concerns about water supply, cultural resources, and the absence of an environmental assessment; the applicant withdrew the application and will return with a fuller record. The Kahawiki and South Wilder projects prompted questions about SHPD concurrence, Army Corps 404/401 permitting, and construction season and BMPs.

Provenance (evidence spans)
- Waikapu pump permits (topicintro): transcript timestamp 414.07–438.12 — Ryan Imata presentation of the pump permits and staff recommendations.
- Waikapu pump permits (topfinish): transcript timestamp 1354.41–1366.375 — Motion moved and seconded; vote recorded.
- Kahawiki stream SCAP (topicintro): transcript timestamp 1424.665–1470.2999 — Dean (Dino) Eno presentation of B2.
- Kahawiki stream SCAP (topfinish): transcript timestamp 2748.745–2768.445 — Final vote recorded (4–1).
- South Wilder culvert (topicintro): transcript timestamp 2978.925–3005.375 — staff presentation on B3.
- South Wilder culvert (topfinish): transcript timestamp 3842.365–3862.109 — motion passed with amendment.
- Ouli Farms (topicintro): transcript timestamp 4492.26–4574.295 — Dean Eno presentation, project description.
- Ouli Farms (topfinish): transcript timestamp 9165.57–9199.17 — Applicant withdrew the application.
- Ag Water Plan (topicintro): transcript timestamp 9256.55–9334.095 — Katie Roth presentation on B5 draft and staff conditions.
- Ag Water Plan (topfinish): transcript timestamp 13975.575–13982.155 — Motion passed with amendments.
- USGS JFA (topicintro): transcript timestamp 16298.13–16359.56 — Katie Roth presentation of B6 and funding shares.
- USGS JFA (topfinish): transcript timestamp 18066.426–18078.86 — Motion passed 5–0.

Speakers (selected)
- Dawn Chang — Chairperson, Commission on Water Resource Management (government)
- Kira Kahane — First Deputy to the Water Commission (staff)
- Evalani Ka'a — Commission secretary (staff)
- Cindy Young — Deputy Attorney General (government)
- Ryan Imata — Groundwater Regulation Branch (staff presenter, pump permits)
- Dean (Dino) Eno — Head, Stream Protection and Management Branch (staff presenter)
- Jeff Wilk — Attorney for Waikapu Country Town (applicant representative)
- Albert Boyse — Manager, Waikapu Properties LLC (applicant)
- Janice Fujimoto — Dept. of Agriculture (DOA) (presenter on Ag plan)
- Katie Roth — Water Commission planning branch (staff presenter)
- Stefan Zahniser, USGS — Pacific Islands Water Science Center (USGS)
- Eva (Maui DWS) — Maui Department of Water Supply (interagency partner)

Salience and follow‑up
- The commission directed staff to ensure pump tests and monitoring data guide final pump capacities for Waikapu and to coordinate with Maui DWS. The Ouli Farms withdrawal leaves unanswered questions about environmental review and regional water availability; the commission flagged the need for more holistic review before such stream‑alteration requests are resubmitted. The commission also reinforced conditions to ensure SHPD and DAR recommendations are incorporated for stream projects.

Searchable tags: Waikapu, Kahawiki Stream, Kaumana Stream, Ouli Farms, agricultural water plan, Laniapolco monitor well, Maui DWS, USGS, pump test, SHPD, stream channel alteration, culvert replacement","The Commission on Water Resource Management met March 18, 2025, in Honolulu and approved multiple staff recommendations — permits, a funding agreement and adoption of an agricultural water plan — while an application for a bridge at the Ouli Farms subdivision was withdrawn after extensive public comment.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6631442,"Ouli Farms bridge application withdrawn after commissioners, residents raise water, cultural and segmentation concerns",2793,2706000,5499000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2679820-d99ccff4d17400826d1d5f333a456dc8&start=2706&end=5499","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2679820-d99ccff4d17400826d1d5f333a456dc8/thumbnail_2706000.jpg","/articles/6631442/Hawaii/Ouli-Farms-bridge-application-withdrawn-after-commissioners-residents-raise-water-cultural-and-segmentation-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6631442-b8c91fcb86dc06853632ea84ab3a8efc/orig.mp4?Expires=1770977992&Signature=KK21YaBHnwKofl~ugr00oL5S~nRC-rIJwTlMAZrPtZpVzi4~EM5JYKvV4eVdIKufBFUwxOFQpOVTmkyNhZcVEHqTVNGhGGCBZgQzPVGdrumRBVYexn~JWuBEAwVQTQz5TNEgpvMyRsFi9MEMLM3pAQqB0ZzigAbgfLdtwU6ADD8~kIGaQoavHZmzojetxrfoFII5skTVjXWWI3GYvH8o59VB18OnIrvIxK3~3RUXPbbrAm8fS7u2tazKBC-a0QuezsW5yEiSPVklNXYbouWnOWhHDi8z5wKdPOyVCf4SzI-159qE1BI9N-J67lHewzw-GvA1GM0b5pquYk0IiGl6Sw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Commission on Water Resource Management on March 18, 2025 heard a prolonged public and commissioner review of a stream channel alteration permit (SCAP) for a proposed bridge at Ouli Farms (Wailaula Stream, phase 1). The applicant withdrew the application during the meeting after commissioners and numerous public speakers urged a fuller record addressing environmental review, water availability, and cultural resources.

Why it mattered: The Ouli Farms proposal — a bridge spanning a wide channel as part of a larger subdivision — raised questions about whether the single permit before the commission was being considered in isolation from a much larger, phased development on roughly 847 acres, and whether that segmentation avoided a required environmental assessment under HRS chapter 343. Commissioners repeatedly asked for more context about the project’s full scope and water needs before taking action on the channel‑alteration request.

What happened at the meeting
- Project and scope: Dean Eno of the Commission’s Stream Protection and Management Branch described the request as a SCAP for a bridge for phase 1 of the Ouli Farms subdivision. The bridge design presented was a broad crossing that staff said would accommodate a 100‑year flood and included wing walls and abutments.
- Commissioner concerns: Commissioners pressed staff and the applicant about whether the bridge permit was part of a larger phased project large enough to require an environmental assessment (HRS chapter 343). Commissioners flagged potential segmentation (approving a single construction permit without consideration of the larger subdivision), the absence of an EA in the publicly posted record, and the need for fuller archaeological and cultural consultation documentation.
- Public comment: Multiple residents and Native Hawaiian stakeholders testified. Comments included:
- Requests that the developer make publicly available archaeological and ethnohistorical studies (several commenters referenced prior studies and the presence of petroglyphs downstream from the proposed bridge), and for more thorough consultation with Native Hawaiian organizations.
- Objections and requests that the commission require an EA because the bridge appears tied to a much larger development (the applicant described phase 1 as about 300 acres within an 847‑acre property, with eventual plans for dozens of residences and ag activity).
- Water supply concerns from Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) representatives and others who noted DHHL and other public water needs in the Waimea area: speakers noted large current DHHL requests for water and stressed the commission’s duty to consider cumulative effects on aquifer sustainability.
- Applicant response and withdrawal: Applicant representatives said phase 1 was meant to support agriculture and about 42 home sites and that access and utilities would connect to existing infrastructure tied to the Mauna Kea Resort area. The applicant acknowledged the public concerns and told the commission the developer would withdraw the application to provide a fuller record. The applicant formally withdrew the SCAP before the commission voted.

Why commissioners objected or asked for deferral
- Environmental review and segmentation: Commissioners repeatedly emphasized that approving a single permit tied to infrastructure for a much larger subdivision could effectively segment review and avoid the broader HRS chapter 343 analysis that would examine cumulative impacts.
- Water availability and management: Testimony and staff discussion highlighted the lack of an updated Waimea Aquifer water plan and lingering questions about sustainable yield and how much water the subdivision’s farms and residences would require. DHHL representatives noted substantial existing water needs for homesteads and said an adjudicative or planning review would better protect public trust uses.
- Cultural resources and consultation: Public commenters and consultants asked for more explicit documentation of archaeological inventory survey results, the Kapa‘akai analysis, and outreach/consultation records with Native Hawaiian organizations (OHA and others had been contacted during the application process but commissioners and public asked that those materials be integrated into the record).

Applicant next steps and staff directions
- Applicant withdrew the SCAP and told the commission it would return with a more complete submittal that addresses the commission’s concerns and provides the missing materials: the applicant agreed to coordinate with staff on resubmittal guidance.
- Commission staff noted it would coordinate with the applicant on what additional documentation is necessary (EA if required; full Kapa‘akai and AIS materials; clearer water demand and funding documentation; DHHL consultation) and recommended applicants resubmit with a comprehensive record.

Speakers (selected)
- Injon Angelo — Ouli Land Company LLC, applicant (owner representative)
- Winston Ng — Civil engineer, Hirota Inc. (applicant consultant)
- Matt Clark — Archaeologist, ASM Affiliates (consultant)
- Dr. Jonathan Luke K.K. Schwer — Department of Hawaiian Home Lands reviewer (government) — provided DHHL comments on water needs
- Eklani (Ed) Flores — resident, community testimony
- Momi (Mommy) Naughton — historian, resident (public commenter)
- Dean (Dino) Eno — Stream Protection and Management Branch (staff presenter)
- Dawn Chang — Chairperson, Commission on Water Resource Management (presiding)

Clarifying details recorded at the meeting
- Applicant described phase 1 as roughly 300 acres with about 42 home sites; applicant stated irrigation and domestic water would be sourced from existing Mauna Kea Resort system and private wells on the property, and estimated a potential irrigation demand figure of roughly 400,000 gallons per day for eventual farming at full buildout (applicant acknowledged details were preliminary and discussions with Mauna Kea water providers were ongoing).
- DHHL noted large existing reservation and development needs in Waimea and adjacent areas and asked the commission to consider cumulative water demand and public trust implications before permitting infrastructure that enables large buildout.

Why this matters locally
- The Ouli Farms discussion tied land‑use, cultural heritage, and water resource management in a single case. Commissioners signaled the need for holistic review when an apparently isolated engineering permit sits at the nexus of larger subdivision entitlements and resource demands. The withdrawal gives staff and the applicant time to assemble a fuller environmental and consultation record before resubmitting.

Provenance (evidence spans)
- topicintro: transcript timestamp 4506.485–4574.295 — Dean Eno staff presentation describing the bridge and permit scope.
- topfinish: transcript timestamp 9165.57–9199.17 — Applicant withdraws SCAP application and states intent to resubmit with fuller materials.

Searchable tags: Ouli_Farms, Wailaula_Stream, stream_channel_alteration, Ouli_bridge, water_supply, DHHL, environmental_assessment","The Ouli Land Company withdrew its stream channel alteration permit application for a proposed bridge across Wailaula Stream after lengthy public comment and sustained commissioner questioning about environmental review, water supply and cultural consultation.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commission adopts revised Agricultural Water Use and Development Plan with conditions; DOA will collaborate on editorial updates

Commission approves permits, funding agreements; Ouli Farms application withdrawn

Ouli Farms bridge application withdrawn after commissioners, residents raise water, cultural and segmentation concerns