The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-07-02

next important one includes the short
or dip of the landss formed from the
great range. towards Waialua, supple
mented by the Waianae attitudes, put
il is apparent that the great body OF
the underground discharge seeks the
sea around Pearl Harbor.
According to the showing that has
been arrived at it is seen that, in round
mum be9s, some zoe, 900, 000, 900 gallons OF
water are leaving the island without
rendering service. How can the pow
er-equivaIent of this water be estinla-
ted? In the first place, one-fourth OF
the total amount may be taken on as
the portion of discharge from and in
Guiding Nuuanu avenue to Makapuu
Point, and this may be set apart to
meet the most exorbitant demands that
the future expansion Of the city, with
its coming sewerage system, and ex-
tensive garden cultures, can make. This
amount is not only more than can be
required; it is, we believe, more than
the actual discharge of that region.
Another one-fourth is deducted to COW
er the unmeasured wastes occurring
along the windward and around the
Kahuku sides of the island. The Wal
mea and Kawailoa streams and springs,
which yield large volume, are includ-
ed in the total of measured waters.
Some small portion of these wastes are
conducted over rice fields, but rice, it
may be said in passing, is a crop that
makes a small actual use of the water
given TO it, as it wastes by seepage, and
this seepage, moreover, is most
threatening foe to public health Of
city, as it gradually fills up land
depressions and forms permanent
swamps. We have then 100000, 900 900
gallons of water remaining which is
into the sea, probably
around Pearl Harbor
and one-fourth of it in the vicinity of
Waialua. The question is repeated
How can we express the power
equivalent of this huge balance of vast
ing water?' The great plantation at
Eva suggests one mode of expression
If we allow 100000 gallons of water
(this volume is equal to a flow of one
cubic foot per second to about fifty
acres, and is based on actual irrigation
work. to one acre of cane, then the
total volume is capable of irrigating
10000 acres. At five tons of sugar per
acre, this area is equal to 100000 tons of
sugar. But as the cane requires one and
years to mature, the power
equivalent is reduced to rs, 1000 tons. |
But setting aside all niceness of calcu-
alton, and allowing for all future de- |
mands of the city, of small cultures, |
ETC., there appears to be a water-power
going to waste annually upon this Is |
and, which may be represented safely |
by $4,000 tons of sugar. And there are |
available lands which are capable of /
putting into service this vast waste of |
water energy.
One observation made as a result of |
his investigation, whose showings may
'e far from the actual, is the apparent
itnests of the water supply to the area
,f cultiyatable lands. It appears that
here is an abundance, ample for every
anitary need and expansion of the city.
or the increase of small industries and |
or raising the sugar production of
Oahu to, speaking safely, three times
rs present proportion.
WALTER MAXWELL.
Director Hawaiian Experiment Station.