More Water Released to East Maui Streams

Yesterday, the state water commission voted to greatly increase the stream flow to many East Maui streams. As a long time East Maui resident and a Realtor who has lived and worked in East Maui since 1979, this is extremely significant in many ways.

Water is life and life had been taken for many years from lands that were once very productive valleys all along the North Shore of Maui. Go for a hike sometime up Hanawana, Waipio, Honopou, or almost any East Maui valley and you will see ancient Lo'i that were once providing Taro to a huge community of Hawaiians. With the arrival of sugar on Maui in the late 1900's, large irrigation ditches were cut laterally across East Maui diverting almost all of the stream water to Central Maui to grow sugar.

Since the early 1980's when the State Water Commission asked all registered users to identify and register their water use in East Maui, the amount of water release by EMI ( East Maui Irrigation ) in to down stream flows has been minimal and down stream users, Taro farms, and traditional gathering have been extremely limited. Most Streams have lost almost all of their native flora and fauna as a result

Now, with increased stream flow, many property owners adjacent to the streams, may be able to start cultivation

once again in long dormant Taro Lo'i. With the increased stream flows, the water may be cool enough to cultivate wet land Taro. Low flow increase water temperature above the optimum temperature of 78 degrees farenheit and the Taro corms rot before they can be harvested.

What this means to adjacent owners is that perhaps once again, small scale farming may be possible along many East Maui Streams and the consequent revival of small scale , self sustainable farming should increase dramtically.

In my farm at Maliko, I rely on a spring that it supplied from cane irrigation on the fields above my farm. When HC&S turns off the water irrigating the fields above, my spring flow drops and I can't grow wet Taro for 3 or 4 months until the spring picks up flow again after the sugar company harvest the crop, replants and turns the water back on. During this time, I harvest the Taro and replant it dry land style to keep it alive for a seed crop to provide huli ( starts ) , for the next generation of wet Taro. All types of Taro can be grown either wet or dry, some do better wet, some better as a dry variety.

For more fun and tips on Maui sustainable farming, keep reading my blog.

Aloha,

Tracy@SellDirt.com