ASSOCIATION OF HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUBS
A RESOLUTION
No. 2019 – 56
URGING THE COMMISSION ON WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT TO NOT COMBINE THE WAIMEA AND ‘ANAEHO‘OMALU AQUIFER SYSTEM AREAS
WHEREAS, the Commission on Water Resource Management is considering a proposed amendment and update to the Water Resource Protection Plan of the Hawai‘i Water Plan to combine the Waimea (80301) and ‘Anaeho‘omalu (80701) Aquifer System Areas (ASA) into the Waimea-‘Anaeho‘omalu System/Sector Area (80302); and
WHEREAS, this proposed amendment would also cause the combining of the existing W. Mauna Kea and N. W. Mauna Loa Aquifer Sector Areas into the W. Mauna Kea-N. W. Mauna Loa Aquifer Sector Area (803); and
WHEREAS, ground water sustainable yields (SY) and hydrologic units called Aquifer System Areas (ASA) are established by the Commission through the Water Resource Protection Plan (WRPP) of the Hawai‘i Water Plan as established by the State Water Code, Hawai‘i Revised Statutes (HRS) 174C; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of properly establishing SY and ASA is to properly manage and protect Hawai‘i’s irreplaceable water resource; and
WHEREAS, it is recognized that the waters of the State are held for the benefit of the citizens of the State and it is declared that the people of the State are beneficiaries and have a right to have the waters protected for their use as stipulated as a declaration of policy in HRS §174C-2; and
WHEREAS, there is a need for a program of comprehensive water resources planning to address the problems of supply and conservation of water; and
WHEREAS, the proposed amendment fails to conserve, augment, and protect the water resource, including plans for stormwater management, reuse, reclamation, and remediation; and
WHEREAS, the Draft Staff Submittal consisting of only 14 pages along with exhibits prepared for the October 3, 2019 public hearing was incomplete, missing relevant data and maps, and lacks substantial scientific evidence to substantiate the proposed amendment to combine the afore-mentioned ASA; and
WHEREAS, the proposed amendment is being pursued despite the Draft Staff Submittal stating, “…the buried physical aquifer boundaries associated with changes in the characteristics of the geologic formations governing groundwater flow and changes in the hydraulic conductivity of the rocks that affect or impede the transport of water are not clear in the area.” (p. 5); and
WHEREAS, the Draft Staff Submittal states “data is limited and not definitive” and “[m]ore isotopic sample analyses would be helpful to confirm” the ground waters flowing from Mauna Kea and Moana Loa mix in the ASA being proposed to be combined (p.9); and
WHEREAS, Figure 9 in the Draft Staff Submittal confirms that ground water isotopic sample analyses was not done in the ‘Anaeho‘omalu ASA (p.10); and
WHEREAS, the proposed amendment to combine the AY for the Waimea and ‘Anaeho‘omalu ASA for a total of 46 mgd is being done to avoid the requirement to immediately address the potential problems of supply and conservation of water for the Waimea ASA; and
WHEREAS, the proposed amendment to combine the AY for the Waimea and ‘Anaeho‘omalu ASA would be inconsistent with the water resource protection and water quality plans as mandated by the State Water Code, HRS 174C.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs at its 60th Annual Convention in Lahaina, Maui, in the malama of Welehu and the rising of Lāʻau Pau, this 16th day of November 2019, urging the Commission on Water Resource Management to not combine the Waimea and ‘Anaeho‘omalu Aquifer System Areas; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the ASA boundaries be kept intact until substantial scientific data and analyses is completed and reassessed with the U.S. Geological Survey; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the ASA boundaries be kept intact until a complete and thorough Draft Staff Submittal is updated and resubmitted for a public hearing and review; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the ASA boundaries be kept intact until a sustainable and comprehensive water resources plan is developed for the Waimea and ‘Anaeho‘omalu ASA; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a certified copy of this resolution be transmitted to Commission on Water Resource Management, Chair of State Board of Land and Natural Resources, Director of State Department of Health, Deputy Director of Water Resource Management of the Department of Land and Natural Resources, as well as the Governor of the State of Hawai‘i, President of the State Senate, Speaker of the State House of Representatives, Chair of the State Senate subject matter committee on Hawaiian Affairs, Chair of the State House subject matter committee on Hawaiian Affairs, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and all County Mayors.
The undersigned hereby certifies that the foregoing Resolution was duly adopted in the malama of Welehu and the rising of Lāʻau Pau on the 16th day of November 2019, at the 60th Annual Convention of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs in Lahaina, Maui.
Hailama V. K. K. Farden, President
