Maui drought
lifted; Big Isle may
follow suit

Heavy rainfall has spelled
relief to parts of the isles that
have been parched

By Gary Kubota
Star-Bulletin

Heavy rainfall has resulted in the lifting of a drought declaration on Maui and is prompting Big Island officials to consider taking similar action.

The National Weather Service said the rains last Thursday through Sunday represented a return to normal winter weather in Hawaii.

Weather Service officials predict slightly above normal rainfall for the next three months.

"We can anticipate certainly a wetter winter than the last two winters," said lead forecaster Tim Craig.

In a period of 3 days ending Sunday, rainfall totaled more than 4 inches in Haiku on Maui, 4.5 inches in Hanalei on Kauai, 6.4 inches in Manoa on Oahu, and 8.5 inches in Mountain View.

The rain helped to replenish artesian wells on Oahu that had been at below-average levels.

Ranchers on the Big Island and Maui said several major Kona storms are needed to restore their water levels, although the rains have turned pastures green.

"We look a lot better than we are," said Pardee Erdman, owner of Ulupalakua Ranch on Maui.

"We have not had enough to recharge the water tables."

Harry Kim, Big Island civil defense administrator, said county, state and federal officials are reviewing whether to recommend ending the drought declaration.

"We will make a decision probably within a week," Kim said.

He said the rains gave tremendous relief to those with catchment tanks and helped to reduce fire hazards.

But Kim said the rains did not give great relief to dry areas where new growth is needed to replace plants killed during the two-year drought, especially some areas of Kau and Kohala.

"Dead grass is dead and rains don't bring back dead grass," Kim said.

Honolulu water official Chester Lao said the recent rains significantly reduced water consumption on Oahu, allowing the water table to recharge and raise pressure at artesian wells.

George Watanabe, an Oahu watercress farmer, said water was coming out of a well in Pearl City that had been shut before recent rains.

"This is the worst year ever for us," said Watanabe, a fifth-generation farmer.

Watanabe said the farm still needs a larger flow of artesian water and has installed five pumps to recharge about 1 million gallons of water a day.

Kula farmer Ward Murashige estimates he lost $5,000 to $7,000 by cutting production of head cabbages in anticipation of a mandatory 25 percent reduction in water usage on Maui.

The board eventually decided to give Maui farmers an exemption from the mandatory reduction.

Maui water director David Craddick said that while the board has lifted the drought declaration, it is still feeling the financial impact of a "very, very dry year."

Craddick said the water department may be as much as $100,000 over its budget as a result of pumping water to drought-stricken reservoirs.

On the Big Island, the pastures are turning green on Parker Ranch, the ranch with the fourth-largest cattle herd in the United States. Michael Bryan of Parker Ranch hopes there will be at least a couple of more heavy rains soon. "It's a good start. We get a couple of good rains and we'll be in good shape."