State finalizes agreement to acquire Wahiawa Dam and irrigation system

WAHIAWA (HawaiiNewsNow) – The state Agribusiness Development Corporation has approved the transfer of the Wahiawa Dam and irrigation system from Dole Foods Hawaii to the state.

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The deal for the state to acquire the dam has been years in the making. The process was accelerated by the kona low storms.

“There’s huge impacts,” said state Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz (D-Wahiawa, Mililani, Whitmore Village). “There’s impacts for the environment. There’s impacts for public safety. There’s impacts for agriculture. There’s impacts for recreational use.”

In the wake of the March storms that prompted a dam failure warning and mass evacuations, Dole Foods is transferring the dam, as well as the irrigation system that stretches downstream to farmers from Mokuleia to Waimea Bay.

“A lot of the farmers on KS (Kamehameha Schools) land, a lot of the farmers on a lot of the Savio properties that he has — a lot of private landowners, they’re all affected by the Wahiawa Dam and the irrigation system,” said Dela Cruz.

The cost to the state: zero.

“It was gifted to the State of Hawaii,” said Dole Foods Hawaii spokesperson Kehaulani Watson. “The state paid nothing to Dole for this system. Dole will become, in fact, a customer of the state now. They will be paying the state for water like anybody else on the system.”

The dam and irrigation system will be administered by the Agribusiness Development Corporation. ADC Board Chair Jayson Watts said in a press release, “By taking ownership of this system, we are directly protecting public safety and securing a critical dedicated source of agricultural water that the entire island of Oahu depends upon.”

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The public safety part is critical after the kona low storms that filled the Wahiawa Reservoir and caused destructive flooding in the downstream neighborhoods of Waialua and Haleiwa.

“Absolutely with the kona lows, there was a need to hurry up and have some of this work done,” said Watson. “It’s underway, to the benefit of the state and the benefit of the public that relies on this system.”

The state has already begun the project to bring the dam into compliance with safety requirements, widening the spillway and strengthening its embankments. Crews will also improve the irrigation system for farmers.

“The improvements to the dam are going to cost over $75 million,” said Dela Cruz. “All that money got passed this past (legislative) session. The governor created an emergency proclamation. The Department of Transportation is taking the lead in reconstructing the dam. So things are moving quickly.”

“The state did their job,” said Watson. “They did extensive due diligence. All the agencies did, to make sure this was something that was ultimately in the best interests of the state and the best interests of the public.”

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The upgrades to the dam are expected to be complete in about two years.