East Maui farmer Kyle Nakanelua said he’s hoping for fewer stream diversions and more water flowing into his taro patches now that sugar-cane cultivation on 36,000 acres of land is scheduled to end in about a year.
“My grandparents who were taro farmers had good flow in their time,” said Nakanelua, who has been farming since 1989. “When I took over I saw a significant drop.”
As Alexander &Baldwin Inc. begins phasing out its sugar operations on Maui, taro farmers and environmentalists are looking forward to the release of more stream water by the corporation’s subsidiary, East Maui Irrigation.
But A&B said its goal is to continue to have as much former sugar-cane land in other agricultural pursuits as possible.
“Immediately, post-sugar, we are likely to have less cultivated acreage and, if so, our water needs will change,” said corporate representative Tran Chinery. “But as we transition the plantation to new agricultural uses, our need for water will increase.”
Lucienne De Naie, a board member with the environmental group Maui Tomorrow, said sugar cane requires more water than most agricultural crops and she looks forward to more water remaining in the streams even with farms growing other crops.
“I think it’s hopeful … They’re likely to use less water than (they did for) cane,” she said.
Earthjustice attorney Isaac Moriwake said Hawaii law is clear.
“If you don’t use the water, you have to leave it for the environment,” he said. “When they shut down sugar, they should be returning a lot of water immediately.”
Moriwake said massive amounts of water were returned to Waiahole on Oahu after the closure of Oahu Sugar Co., and he expects similar action to take place in East Maui.
According to East Maui Irrigation, its system draws from more than 100 streams and tributaries in East Maui, with irrigation flows ranging from 10 million gallons a day in 1984 to a capacity of 400 million gallons a day.
Besides the sugar plantation operated by Hawaiian Commercial &Sugar, the irrigation company’s major customer is the county — which provides water to 36,000 residents and farmers in Upcountry Maui, including Haiku, Makawao, Olinda, Pukalani and Kula.
East Maui Irrigation charges the county 6 cents per 1,000 gallons for untreated water.
Maui County’s water director, David Taylor, said East Maui Irrigation has assured the county that it will continue to provide water to residents and farmers.
“It’s too early to know what future impacts may or may not be occurring,” Taylor said. “We are going to continue to communicate with EMI.”
Nakanelua said he understands the need to provide stream water for farms that may occupy former sugar lands but he said so far, he hasn’t noticed much of a change, except for more luxury homes, even when pineapple plantations ceased production on Maui about 15 years ago.
“We didn’t get additional stream flow,” he said.
