The Hawaiian gazette., 1910-09-30

The arteslan water supply OF the
island of Oahu is by no means mex
Baustible. In fact, it is decreasing day
by day through the.eareless and crimi-
nal waste that marks the operations
of the residents of the islands, and
unless some radical steps are taken,
the day Will come when the supply viii
become salty and fail and disaster will
result There is limit of draft upon
the artesian supplies and if the wanton
and reckless waste continues, the level
of the various basins will gradually re-
duce until the salt content viii increase
to such degree that it viii be detri-
mental not alone to the agricultural in
terests, but also to the domestic supply.
In such startling terms does Marston
Campbell, in his report to the Governor,
write of the artesian water conditions.
Mr.. Campbell fully bears out in his
report the story published by The Adj
eertiser some time since in which was
conveyed a warning against the un-
necessary waste of artesian water. Mr..
Campbell, in regard to artesian water,
writes as follows:
Artesian Supply.
The most important investigation
which has been carried on by the de-
partment during the last year has been
the securing of data in regard to the
artesian water supply of the island of
Oahu. The present agricultural de-
velopment has been mainly due to the
underlying artesian or ground water
supply Contrary to the general idea,
the underground water supply of the
island of Oahu is not inexhaustible and
is not one large basin, but is made up
of numerous basins, sharply and clearly
defined Each basin has a well marked
watershed from which it derives its
supply, varying in area and rainfall.
The watershed of the island of Oahu
is definitely defined by two mountain
ranges; one, the Koolau, the backbone.
running the entire length of the island
practically from north to south; and
the other, the Waianae range, which
parallels the main range and which has
created the large mesa lying between
Pearl Harbor and Waialua The rain
fall is heavier in the Koolau range
than the Waianae and is mainly caused
by the northwest trades sweeping
across the Pacific, gathering moisture,
then impinging against the eastern side
of the Koolau range and forced into
resulting in heavy precipitation. This
mountain range is extremely rugged
and steep and extremely sensitive to
run-off, with the consequent result that
only small proportion of the entire
rainfall is absorbed and reaches the
artesian belts The draft on the arte-
sion systems or basins is only replen-
ished by small proportion of the en-
tire rainfall Investigations are being
made in an attempt to determine total
precipitation, run-off and absorption.
The Artesian System.
The first artesian well was bored in
1879. The success of the original well
had its immediate effect on the agri-
cultural possibilities of the island and
from that date to this, 430 artesian
wells have been bored; some are dead,
many of which we're flowing wells;
while others are delivering from a mini
mum of 10000 gallons per day to a
maximum of 100000 gallons, the maxi
mum rate being taken from the result
of measurements of the last two wells
borod for the Territory at Beretania
avenue and Alapai street. The artesian
level in Honolulu was, as shown by
the first wells bored, at 40 feet above
sea-level This is the Honolulu section;
in other basins the water stood at 81
and SO feet. Where there has been a
fall, il is about 70 feet. Up TO 1889,
100 wells had been bored on Oahu. The
artesian level at one time in that sea-
son in Honolulu regained the level of
~ feet This was due to extraordinary
precipitation followed by a drouth. Be-
tween that date and June, 1910, $50
additional wells were bored. The
height of the artesian water above sea-
level now being 29.7 feet or an average
for the year of 30 feet.
Artesian Supply Failing.
1t is evident from the Investigations
that the draft on the artesian supply is
gradually reducing its height above sea-
level. Appended hereto will be found
a complete tabulation of the wells SO
far investigated with the elevation of
the top of casing and the elevation to
which the water rises above sea-level.
A careful investigation has revealed in
one of our basins, upon which the draft
is at present exceedingly heavy, that
only once has the artesian level risen
close to its original height, this being
in lSs9.90, 81 years ago, and at that
time there being only 100 wells in exist
enee The results of the investigation
have, to my mind, shown that there is
limit of draft upon the artesian sup
plies and if the present wanton and
reckless waste continues, the level of
the various basins win gradually re-
duce until the salt content will increase
to such degree that it will be detri.
mental not alone TO the agricultural
interests of the Island, but also to do.
nestle supply That there Is sufficient
water for all of the present agricul.
mral, industrial and domestic uses, and
for an enlargement and increase of such
uses. Is true, but il is also the fact
that the permanency Of the supply is
absolutely dependent upon the bene6.
eial use of this, the greatest natural
resource Of the Islands Of the Territory
Rainfall and Artesian Level.
II has been shown that there Is a
Fixed relation between rainfall and
aTtesian level. After heavy rainfall
there generally follows a rise which Is
designated ~ the seasonal increase
varying from ~ 10 rs Inches Not.
vi. i a..