Irrigation district
to solve Big Island
water problem

By Gary T. Kubota
Star-Bulletin

Farmers in the northeastern section of the Big Island eventually will be paying for water they draw from the Lower Hamakua Ditch, under a decision made by the state Board of Agriculture.

The board yesterday authorized establishment of an irrigation district for the ditch, following numerous complaints by users about its lack of maintenance and water.

A number of farmers living at the end of the ditch at Paauilo say they don't mind paying for the water. They just want to make sure there is enough water for them.

"If you plant things and you don't have water, you lose even more," said Steven Dias, a farmer. "We don't mind paying because we know the economics of it."

Dias said he has lost two papaya crops because of little or no irrigation water from the ditch.

The 26-mile ditch, stretching from the headwaters of Waipio Valley to Paauilo, had a carrying capacity of 60 million gallons a day when operated by Hamakua Sugar Co., which halted its operation in 1994.

State officials say with the lack of maintenance, the carrying capacity of the ditch today is closer to 25 million gallons of water a day and estimate the leakage at 10 million to 15 million gallons a day.

The state has been paying a contractor $12,225 a month to maintain the flow of the ditch, but the contract has not required any major repairs or improvements.

State agricultural official Paul T. Matsuo said that with the expanded role of the state in making improvements to the ditch, he anticipates the cost of operations will increase, although he has no estimate.

Matsuo said the department will have to decide whether to use state employees to maintain the ditch system or to have the work done by a contractor.

He said state officials also will be developing rules and water fee rates to govern the use of water.

The rule-making is expected to take between eight to 18 months.

Matsuo said under the irrigation district, the state will have to accommodate all users along the ditch. "Everybody gets equal treatment," he said.