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Ha’iku Stream Restoration

Introduction

This was a presentation given by Ellen Kraftsow of the Maui Department of Water Supply (MDWS) on August 13, 2025. The presentation was from work done by MDWS as part of their application for modification of Inflow Flow Standard (IFS) that had been previously set by the State Water Commission (CWRM).

Over the last 10 years or so, the Water Commission had reviewed the Interim IFS (IIFS) of about 46 East Maui streams and changed most of them. But all the streams they reviewed were east of Kakipi Stream, which left the streams to the west, which are closest to the most populated part of Haiku, still under the original IIFS. The original IIFS essentially said that whatever was in a stream on June 15, 1988 was the flow amount that must be maintained. But that date was near the height of sugar cane production, which entailed maximum diversion of stream water, leaving minimal, or no, flow in most streams. The effects of stream diversions were more dramatic east of Kakipi because those communities are highly dependent upon surface water and they were deeply affected by diversions so nobody was paying much attention to Haiku streams west of Kakipi.

Fast forward to 2003 and the Consent Decree between the MDWS and a group of Haiku residents who sued over improper planning for drilling new wells in Haiku. Part of the settlement stipulated that the County would look into restoration of Haiku streams as a condition to drilling more wells for public water. The MDWS finally took on the Consent Decree conditions in 2021 and started doing the work. This has resulted in lots of studies of Haiku (and other nearby) aquifers, as well as this study. (See Further Reading, at the end of this post).

The MDWS did a good job of assembling relevant cultural, historical, and hydrological facts in this presentation. It is a must-read for anyone who is interested in Haiku surface water, stream history, and restoring streams. The public has had the opportunity to weigh-in on this issue through community meetings but more opportunities will arise to make your voice heard, so this is a good summary of the larger Haiku streams.

Presentation

Link to the presentation (this will open in another tab). The total # of slides is 69. It is organized around gulches, moving from west to east. For each gulch (or system, as a stream can have several tributaries), various facts and figures are provided.

Quick Reference guide to the presentation:

  • Page 3 The eight streams under consideration
  • Pages 4-8 Very good maps and views of the streams and the ditches they are diverted into
  • Page 20 – Summary of the IFS modification request to CWRM
  • Page 22 – Kailua (this goes to Baldwin Beach, so is not actually a Haiku stream)
  • Page 24 – Maliko
  • Page 30 – Kanemoeala (not on the IFS list, but an interesting stream)
  • Page 33 – Kuiaha
  • Page 37 – Kaupakalua
  • Page 40 – Manawai’iao
  • Page 45 – Uaoa
  • Page 48 – Keali’i
  • Page 51 – Kakipi

Don’t miss these pages:

  • Pages 27 and 28 – historic painting of Maliko gulch and a recent photo of the same spot
  • Page 62 – Letter relating how Maliko was in the old days.

Further Reading and Resources

Brown and Caldwell put together a four-part study of water demand and supply options, for the MDWS. This research product was also a condition of the 2003 Consent Decree. Part 4 also analyzed Haiku stream restoration. These are collectively called the Feasibility Study and they can be accessed here: