Honokohau valley communities say stream is 'dying' as state data show record low flows; residents press commission for enforcement

State hydrologists on Tuesday told the Commission on Water Resource Management that Honokohau Valley in West Maui is experiencing record‑low streamflows this year and that groundwater contributions to baseflow are declining rapidly, a trend they blamed on an extended drought.

Aaron Strauss, Stream Protection and Management Branch, said real‑time monitoring at the U.S. Geological Survey station that feeds the valley shows 2025 mean daily flows far below the long‑term average. "On a long term annual basis there is a lot of rainfall," Strauss said, "but for the last 12 months we are at 46% of normal." He added that the IIFS monitored at McDonald’s Dam is 13.3 cfs (about 8.6 million gallons per day) and warned that violations occur after sustained periods below that value.

The drought, presenters and residents said, is having concrete consequences for people and culture downstream. Karen Kanekwa, a Honokohau resident representing Namamo Aloha ʻIʻo Honokohau, described failing loʻi (kalo patches), outbreaks of invasive limu that trap organic matter and higher stream temperatures that have caused rot. "We are dealing with extremely low flow conditions," Kanekwa said. "There isn't enough water in the stream for in‑stream uses, let alone off‑stream ones in Honokohau."

Residents said the hardship is compounded by operations and permitting questions. Willie Wood, a farmer in the valley, told the commission that automated gate openings at the Tarogate site have sent sudden pulses of water downstream without warning, causing a near‑accident this summer. "Someone sitting behind their desk pushing keyboard buttons, opening the gate up at Tarogate without communication," Wood said, "opened a wave that swept children downstream." He and others urged immediate improvements to notification procedures so residents can avoid safety risks.

Private operators and county staff described the operational constraints and options. Race (Rachel) Randall, chief executive of Maui Land & Pineapple Company, and Hawaii Water Service said the system was designed to prioritize the county’s potable treatment plant and fire‑flow reserves and that this year those demands have largely consumed the system’s limited supplies. "Our first priority in managing that system is ensuring that we maintain the 8.6 million gallons a day requirement in Honokohau Stream as best as possible," Randall said, emphasizing the operational requirement to meet the IIFS when water is available.

County water staff said the Mahinahina water treatment plant has had limited inflow — averaging about 0.83 million gallons per day from January through August — forcing greater reliance on groundwater wells that themselves have constraints (salinity and sustainable yield). Maui Department of Water Supply Deputy Kimo Lang said the county is exploring longer‑term storage and reuse options, and that a near‑term well (Kahana) is nearly complete but requires a new water‑use permit before it can be used.

Community groups and legal advocates pressed the commission to act faster than the current informational process. Several speakers pointed to a backlog of water‑use permit applications for West Maui and asked whether the commission would use interim permits, a shortage plan or enforcement to protect public‑trust uses. Earthjustice attorney Mahesh Cleveland told the commission: "We need enforcement on the Honokohau IIFS, and we need it now."

Commissioners acknowledged both the operational realities and the community urgency. The chair urged utility operators, county staff and private landowners to prioritize short‑term measures such as improved communications about gate operations and to pursue larger investments — more reservoir storage and expanded recycled‑water (R1) distribution — that staff and operators said would reduce reliance on scarce surface and groundwater supplies in future droughts.

Next steps: commission staff said they will post water‑use applications and provide a status update on processing priorities; commissioners directed staff to develop clearer plans for a shortage response and to return with options for a tiered or priority approach to West Maui permit review. The commission did not take regulatory enforcement action at the meeting, but residents demanded specific timelines and asked the commission to consider interim permits and more vigorous enforcement where necessary.