2016-11-30 NKCDP Ag Water Meeting Notes Final

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Report of the Parks, Water Roads Subcommittee of the North Kohala Community Development Plan Action Committee Notes from the First Integrated Ag. Water Meeting. 11/30/2016 This was the first of what will be several information -gathering meetings on this topic This system is for North Kohala (not N&S) Need to assure entire system integrity. • Sufficient water for all users. • Attention to modern ag users and heritage use (water returned to streams). • Distribution laterals are imperative (restore lost ones and consider new ones). • Several said they had installed ag water pipes on their land because ditch water was promised, but not delivered. One estimated 40 to 50 landowners are in this position. Charlie Anderson said he would provide a map of all those who expected ag water. • To be economically viable, an ag water system will need to provide access to a much wider reach of farmers than the Ditch currently supplies. Who will eventually control the ditch/system? All agreed is must be North Kohala users. • Present Kohala Ditch Foundation is a temporary and transitional manager. • PUC says Owners must manage. A "Consumer Co -Operative" is preferred, according to Kije Hazelwood. • Bill Shontell: Surety will not last forever, he's happy with the Co -Op group now forming. Careful attention must be paid to the structure of the entire system. • Physical portions: ditch, tunnels, reservoirs, distribution laterals. • Personnel. Central system plus lateral user groups (one rep for each group). • Easements, usage rates, metering/billing. • Kamehameha Schools controls the Ditch headwaters and has responsibility for much of the "heritage use" of Kohala water to provide for traditional farming practices. • System needs to support small farmers as well as large. • Non -consumptive users (kayak operations, etc.). • The Co-op is planning to have licensing agreements with groups of users on each of the lateral lines. Each lateral having its own co-op, Hazelwood said. How will distribution line repair and new construction plus maintenance be funded? Tunnels may dry up too during a prolonged drought, according to Shontell. The ditch itself is presently in robust shape (perhaps best -ever). The distribution system, however, is definitely not robust. • Most lines are old. • Many are broken.