Koholalele Hamakua EA PBR Final TMK No. 4-2-005:001

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HAMAKUA LAND SALE: KOHOLALELE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT This soil historically was used mainly for sugarcane. Small areas are used for macadamia nuts and pasture. (Capability subclass IVe, nonirrigated; sugarcane group 3; pasture group 7; woodland group 5) Kuka`iau Silty Clay Loam, 20 -35% slopes (KuE) constitutes approximately 32 acres or 3 percent of the Site. This soil is similar to Kuka`iau silty clay loam, 6 to 12 percent slopes, except for the steeper slopes. Runoff is rapid, and the erosion hazard is severe. Included in mapping are small areas in drainageways that have very steep slopes. This soil is used mostly for sugarcane. Small areas are used for pasture. (Capability subclass VIe, nonirrigated; sugarcane group 3; pasture group 7; woodland group 5). Rough broken land, (RB) constitutes approximately 141 acres or roughly 14 percent of the Site and is found along most of the site's gulches. Rough broken land is a miscellaneous land type that consists of very steep, precipitous land broken by many intermittent drainage channels. It occurs primarily in gulches, and the slope is dominantly 35 to 70 percent. The soil material ranges from very shallow to deep. Stones and rock outcrops are common in some areas. Elevation ranges from near sea level to 3,000 feet, and the annual rainfall ranges from 50 inches to more than 150 inches. Vegetation varies with rainfall. Kukui trees are typically common in the gulches. There are a few, scattered waterfalls. Rough broken land is used for pasture, woodland, wildlife habitat, and recreation areas. Adapted pasture plants and yields are similar to those for soils associated with this land type. These soils are in Capability Class VII. 3.4.2 Land Study Bureau Soil Rating The Detailed Land Classification, Island of Hawai `i (Baker et al. 1965) classifies non -urban areas based on a five -class rating system for agricultural productivity using the letters A, B, C, D, and E. Under this system, A represents the highest class of productivity and E the lowest. The Site is comprised of lands classified as "C" or "D" with the gulches unclassified. The portion of the site classified as "C" extends from Mamalahoa Highway to approximately the 1800 foot ground elevation contour. The portion of the site classified as "D" is the higher elevation portion of the site and is primarily comprised of Honoka`a Silty Clay Loam 10 -25% slopes (HTD) (see Figure 8). 3.4.3 Agricultural Lands of Importance The ALISH system classifies three types of land suitable for agriculture: Prime Lands, Unique Lands, and Other Lands (unsuitable lands are designated Unclassified) (State of Hawaii 1977): • Prime Agricultural Land is land best suited for the production of food, feed, forage, and fiber crops. When treated and managed, including water management, and according to modern farming methods, the land has the soil quality, growing season, and moisture supply needed to economically produce sustained high yields of crops. • Unique Agricultural Land is land other than Prime Agricultural Land and is used for the production of specific high -value food crops. The land has the special combination of soil quality, growing season, temperature, humidity, sunlight, air drainage, elevation, aspect, moisture supply, or other conditions, such as nearness to market, that favor the production of a specific crop of high quality and/or high yield when the land is treated