The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1901-09-24
WATER IS
IN DEMAND
Puukapu Supply is
Needed by the
People.

+ whom no one knows better the
1 lay Of the land and the running OF
the water on Hawaii, is fearful that II
the entire supply of water which eman-
ates from the forests about kohala
mountain is given to a corporation the
result will be felt by the settlers of
Waimea and Kawaihae.
THE license which is desired by this
new company, is one which will have a
far reaching effect upon the people OF
northern Hawaii" said Prof. Lyons
last evening. There Is no water source
which should be more jealousy guard
ed than that of Puukapu. From this
there run three streams which irri-
gate the Waimea district. These are
the waikoloa, Keanuiomano, and La
nimaomao. and for many years they
have been full of water. They fur
nish water to the entire district of wal
mea, which in my opinion will be one
of the most fertile of the mountain dis
| tricts Of the big island. The streams
have their source In the swamps OF the
upper mountain side.
THE cattle have the free range OF
]
tain above waimea, and they have done
great injury to the water supply al
ready. The mass of moss which grows
J in the mountains forms the natural
reservoir for the water This Is being
! destroyed so fast by the cattle that
during this summer. for the first time
! in the history Of that upper country,
one of the streams ran dry. The supply
Of water from the Puukapu district
should be conserved for the use of the
future settlers who will make their
homes there.
| Further around the mountain side is
I the Klwaihae district, where the water
Is needed for the use of the potato
country. There are many settlers there,
but the future of the water supply If
once 1t gets into the hands of any COR
poration Is not bright. The water Is
badly needed and the duty OF the gov
eminent Is to protect 1t and develop 1t
| for the use of the people. The land in
the country about the Kohala noun
tain is rich and will produce anything,
everything that a small farmer would
! grow, and the public lands there VIII
offer homes for a large population If the
water is cared for now and made safe
The water reservoir should be fenced
as has been done on the Kohala side
and this would do much to save the
MOSES upon which the supply depends
"The main valleys on the side OF tn,
mountain toward the sea are .he Wal
uio. Walmanu and Uono}are. Thes'
are wide and deep valleys and the tabl'
lands between them are fun of water
Between the Waipio and Walmanu val
Ileys there is a fine table land, the Null
wal district. and this territory is wei
watered and the streams are always
full. on the Hunokane side there arr
the Awini lands which are Of the same
character. being high tables with full
streams, practically impossible now OIL
account of the brush. This is fine lane
and viii be very valuable. Ali of thi!
water is included in the license of the
company which is now seeking a fran
|chise.
This water is available for use ol
either side. in the Kohala or Hama
lSua districts, but the difficulty Is II
getting the water across the wide an
deep valleys An inverted syphol
would be available. but it would b
very costly. for instance to reach th
Hamakua district there would be neces
. sary drop of 1900 feet Ia a vale,
which IL nearly mile wide and thel
! "A rise again of the same distance
The same steps would be necessary oi
the other side. Some time ago | sug
gested that the power OF the high fall
, in the upper portion of the valleys b
utilized to generate electric power o
some other form of power, which Il
turn could be utilized to force waite
up 10 the levels for use on the plan
tations. This would be a very costl
t, 'N"Sinoss and would not be so remunera
: i've az the furnishing of water TO tn
. rlamakua coast from streams in IN
! Hilo district
? The Hamakua plantations Will haV
! rain again as Of old. Even the destruc
ton of the forests there will not destro
the rainfall, and the district will b
as productive as of old within fe'
+ years The water Of the upper leve
should be reserved for the people and
= fear that the giving of it to any co,
u puration would result disastrously
h the people who viii make their homes
n that country"