The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1910-09-29
REPORTS ON THE
WATER SUPPLY


The Commissioner of Public Lands
has submitted an interesting report to
Governor Frear concerning the arte.
sian water supply of oahu The Com
missioner states that the supply is by
no means ineXhausuble; as a fact it
is decreasing daily through the care
lessness and wanton waste that takes
place, and unless some steps are taken
the supply will eventually become sal
ty aud fail altogether.
The report deals with the investga-
tions that have been made regarding
the artesian water supply. These in
vestigations go to show that the sup
ply is not inexhaustible, and that the
water is not obtained from one large
basin, but from a number of basins
that are sharply and clearly defined.
Further inquiries will be made with
view to determining the total precipi-
tation, run-off and absorption that take
place on the Oahu watershed.
The first artesian well was bored in
1S79 and since that date the number
has reached 30, many of which are
still flowing Some interesting figures
are given concerning the various ar
tesian wells and their levels, but it is
evident the report says, that the draft
on the supply is gradually reducing its
height above sea level. There is suf-
fcient water for all the present agri-
cultural, Industrial and domestic uses
and for an enlargement and increase
of such uses-that is admitted-but
the permanency of the supply is de-
| pendent upon the judicious use Of the
water
| 1t has been shown that there is
fixed relation between rainfall and ar
| tesian level, and after a heavy rainfall
there generally fonows a rise which
is designated the seasonal increase,
which varies from II to IS inches.
Notwithstanding this seasonal in
crease, there is an additional fall of
from A to 6 of a foot, especially in
the Honolulu basin.
The overdraft on the wells within
the city of Honolulu has been esti4
mated at between ten million and
twelve miiiron gallons a day, mainly
made up Of preventable wastes and
losses, which the report characterizes
as unnecessary and criminal. In or
der to preserve the present magnif-
cent agricultural development and aid
in it's advancement, some proper au-
thoritative action must be taken to re-
gulate wastes and require the owners
of lands and industrial enterprises to
control tie use of water to the point
of it's beneficial application. Such
legislation would not in any way be
detrimental to presen tor future oper-
ations, but would, when the people
realized the tremendous and inesti-
mable value of the underground water
supply, materially aid in the future de-
velOpment and prosperity of the coun-
! lily. ne lulOl llldllOll al Gdhy ODLclu-
ed as well as all further data, will be
submitted to the geological experts of
the United States Geological Survey
Department for final and complete de-
termination.
After dealing with the geological in
vestigations the report concludes with
the following note: On August 8, 1910,
the water stood at 20 20 feet in one
we'll in Honolulu. On August II, in
another well in Honolulu, it stood at
30 40. This is the lowest record yet
noted and is almost foot lower than
in August 1909. Unless there be un-
usual rainfall conditions between Au-
gust 1910, and November, 1910, the
height of the water will probably fall
to 20 feet
| -le@%o