Kalihiwai Reservoir
Kalihiwai Reservoir
Our Lifeline
Kalihiwai Reservoir is the source of water (wai), to foster life and growth for the Kilauea Community Agricultural Center, and it is threatened to be decommissioned.
An investment in remediation of the dam and spillway can extend the lifespan another 50+ years, providing multiple benefits. Conservation of the reservoir would preserve 40 million gallons per day of freshwater capacity for a host of potential uses.
It would provide greatly enhanced fire suppression capabilities to the entire area through its size and existing related water distribution infrastructure, including to areas currently identified as deficient, and in light of potential new standards following the tragedy on Maui.
As a certified wildlife habitat, it would protect existing wetland and fisheries for a multitude of species, including 5 endangered indigenous waterbirds.
It would preserve existing public recreational access to the resource.
KCAC currently uses potable (drinkable) County water for irrigation as it is the only source readily available, and we already do not have enough to support existing needs or continued expansion.
It would provide for enough replacement of this existing irrigation potable water usage to be able to supply the entire now-being-planned affordable housing expansion of hundreds of homes in Kilauea on County land.
It would directly supply agricultural use and expansion efforts in the area at the very large volumes that are required, including KCAC.
AHK is working towards a public-private partnership model to be able to maintain and steward the resource, as well as fundraising toward these activities and capital costs for the remediation.
For more detailed information on the reservoir, please click on the Learn More button below, or CLICK HERE to email us with any questions related to this preservation effort.
Please help us save the reservoir. Donate to help support preserving this invaluable resource.