The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1895-10-22
Many Waste Lands That May
Be Developed,
Mr.. KLUEGELS PRACTICAL HINTS
Water obtained by pumping--Ricc
and sugar Lands Awaiting CultiNa-
tion--lar.yc Field for Extension.

A large area of fertile land on
the island of Oahu is uncultivated
and almost unproductive. Much
Of this land is beyond the practical
reach of extensive irrigation, but is
well adapted to the growth of fiber
plants, canaigre and other products,
and small part of it is excellent
coffee land.
There remain extensive tracts OF
land in various localities which
have hitherto been only grazing
land. and that not of the best,
while large amount of water is
flowing to the sea either on or I'M
der the surface of the ground. In
general. the conditions are the
same here as existed elsewhere be-
fore the inception of every project
for irrigation. There are difficult
ties TO be overcome, and SO there
have been in other cases, and the
question, as usual, is, how shall the
land be supplied with water for
irrigation, and will it pay?
The total annual rainfall on the
whole island is abundant, but its
irregular distribution as to time
and locality causes difficulty in its
use for irrigation.
There are few if any, favorable
sites for large storage reservoirs,
such as would have large eapa-
city with comparatively small
dams. and where bottom and sides
would be imperviouS TO water. The
supplies from streams and springs,
where located above any irrigable
land. are. with some exceptions in
Koolau, already used, at least to
the extent Of the minimum daily
flow, or the amount which can be
depended upon at all times. There
is only a small area OF land now
remaining in the artesian belt be-
low the elevations at which wells
flow.
The method OF developing a
water supply by tunneling and in
tercepting the flow beneath the
surface has been quite successful in
Southern California and elsewhere.
The location and plan are gener-
ally determined by surface indica-
tions, unless directed by water
witching." or by 8 more recent
scientific instrument, so-called, by
an ingenious Californian.
With some notable exceptions,
this island is not favorable field
for this plan OF water development.
The abundant rainfall in the koo-
lau mountains which goes TO make
the remarkably large supply OF
underground water, seems to de-
scend much below the general sur
face. The deep gulches on the lee
ward side of the island from Homo
lulu 10 kahuku show no trace of il.
1t therefore appears that the extern
sion OF irrigation on Oahu Is mostly
dependent upon pumping the water
from the supply which is very
abundant. and which Is the only
unfailing source for the remaining
available land. This method can
he supplemented by the occasional
and irregular surface flow from the
mountain region where this can be
obtained at q reasona Die cost.
There are several thousand acres OF
land st a low elevation suitable
for rice upon which water can be
pumped with remunerative results,
as the lift viii be only q few feet
There are many thousand acres
Of good sugar land for which there
Is an ample supply Of water The
cost Of pumping can readily be
found for various localities. Eva
plantation affords an illustration
OF pumping water for irrigation.
At pumping station No 3 the lift
varies from los 10 40 feet. The
expense OF pumping ST this station
Per acre per crop has been twenty
dollars f; in other words. q small
fraction OF the field. which Is eight
tons OF sugar per acre OF plant
cane, viii pay the expense Of pump
ing On land OF equal productive
ness q pump expense Per acre equal
70 OF even greater than the price OF
one ton Of sugar leaves the net re-
suit still very favorable. The limit
al which the lift, and consequently
the pump. expense becomes pro-
hibi.iye has apparently not been
even proposed. There Is vet
large fed for extension OF irriga-
ton and cultivation before this
limit Is reached.
C III KrFGH