The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-09-25
PUBLIC WORKS ON HAWAII.

Roads Projected and in Progress-The
Hamakua Water Scheme.
Regarding the Volcano road,
which at present has most general
interest connected with it, this beau
tiful public highway is now proceed
ing at the average rate of two miles
per month, so far as grubbing and
grading are concerned. The material
used is broken pahoehoe, covered
with "a gravel and rolled by A ton
rollers wrought by bullocks-the
road not being yet sufficiently settled
for the heavy steam roller which is
in the locality ready for use. The
latest report from the superinten-
dent of the road states that nine
miles of the road are completed; and
at this writing further progress has
been made, but how much is not
officially made known.
Road making in Kona and Kau is
proceeding with hasty strides At
present no wagon roads connect from
the beach with the upper wagon road
running north and south through
Kona, and routes are now being sur
veyed to have these necessary con-
nections made at an early date. The
appropriations now available will be
used as far as possible, but the main
work in Kona is the preparing of
surveys and estimates for submission
to the next Legislature.
Regarding the Hamakua water
scheme, Mr.. J. M. Lydgate, the en-
gineer employed, reports that the
available water sheds are small on
that portion of the Waimea noun
tains which are convenient for the
water supply to Hamakua district.
This portion of Hawaii is immedi
ately dependent on rainfall which
necessarily varies with the seasons.
On the top of the range the rains
are heavier and much more steady;
but the fall is soon absorbed in the
soil, and as consequence the
streams are very sensitive. The
present season has been the driest
for twelve years; and what were con-
sidered unfailing springs, have in
many cases dried up, although on
the higher portions of the Waimea
ranges there has fallen fair supply
of rain. Owing to the porosity Of
the soil and the difficulty of obtain
ing convenient and easy grades, a
ditch under the circumstances would
not be advisable. Fluming is the
only method that can be adopted
with success, and it can be done
on grades not less than 4 or per
cent. An average supply of about
100 cubic feet per minute will be re-
CURED by each of the four planta-
tons to be watered, during nine
months in the year. The streams
available for supply are Kawainui
and Alakahi which may be increased
during wet weather by the streams
of Kawaililu, Koiawe and Haloa.
The Koiawe stream being crossed
near it's source, will not furnish
much water at any time; and the
Haloa, which discharges into the
Wainnea plains, will be available
only when there is a surplus over
the needs of stock. These streams
all belong to the Waipio system, and
are very small percentage of the
whole.
For fume the fall is IS feet to a
mile. The engineer recommends a
small fume Of easy construction as
sufficient to carry all the available
water, and the quantity thus brought
would meet present requirements.
He recommends the main fume to
be u by "a inches and that the tres
tlework be constructed of redwood.
The landing of the material should
be at Kawaihae, and from that port
hauled to Waimea. Building is re-
commended to begin at the mount
tains and construct downward, as the
portions of flume constructed would
be medium of transportation.
Storage reservoirs are also recon-
mended to be built on Puukapu
plains. The report states that four
OF these are necessary, and that they
should aggregate not less than ten
millions of cubic feet at present; but
the size might afterwards be in
creased with advantage to fifty mil
lion cubic feet so as to tide over SIX
months of the dry part of the year.
Mr.. Lydgate's report is very full;
and plans of the projected works,
connected with this important
scheme are annexed to the report.