Report Title:
Flood Control; Appropriation
Description:
Appropriates funds for the UH Center for Conservation Research and Training to develop and implement comprehensive watershed management strategies for at least two of the most severely flood-impacted watersheds in the State. (HB1280 CD1)
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
1280 |
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TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2005 |
H.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
S.D. 2 |
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C.D. 1 |
RELATING TO FLOOD CONTROL.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that floods caused by heavy rainstorms have become increasingly detrimental to the health, safety, and general welfare of the people of this state. Floods endanger lives, destroy property, result in adverse effects to the ecosystem, and disrupt commerce, transportation, and communications.
It is in the best interests of the State to identify, design, and implement effective, integrated flood-control solutions consistent with comprehensive watershed management strategies to prevent property damage, loss of life, or environmental damage that results from severe flooding. The legislature further finds that flood prevention through comprehensive watershed management is many times more cost-effective than flood mitigation through traditional reactive and piecemeal approaches to flood control.
The purpose of this Act is to fund:
(1) A comprehensive watershed management pilot project to develop comprehensive strategies that establish broad water management goals and targets for entire catchments consistent with comprehensive watershed management to control storm water runoff to levels that can be safely and economically carried downstream by drainage systems in at least two of Hawaii's most severely flood-impacted watersheds; and
(2) The coordinated implementation of those best management strategies identified and designed in the development of comprehensive strategies.
SECTION 2. (a) The center for conservation research and training of the University of Hawaii shall develop comprehensive watershed management plans to develop the best strategies to manage flooding caused by storm runoff in at least two of Hawaii's most severely flood-impacted watersheds as identified by the center. These plans shall identify alternatives and land-use strategies consistent with comprehensive watershed management practices and develop the best means to prevent flooding by controlling surface water runoff to reduce peak flows from storms to levels that can be safely and economically carried downstream by watershed drainage systems. The comprehensive watershed management plans shall include but not be limited to:
(1) Physical and biological watershed characteristics;
(2) Storm water structures and drainage ways;
(3) Community-based participatory planning;
(4) Existing and future watershed development;
(5) Existing and future land use;
(6) Relevant community organizations and functions;
(7) Relevant state and federal institutional functions;
(8) Traditional approaches based on ahupua'a; and
(9) Identification of means to lessen the impact of urbanization on downstream waterways.
(b) The center for conservation research and training of the University of Hawaii shall coordinate the implementation of the best watershed management measures developed under the comprehensive watershed management plans.
SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $200,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007 for the center for conservation research and training to develop, coordinate, and implement the best management strategies consistent with comprehensive watershed management strategies to control flooding in at least two of Hawaii's most severely flood-impacted watersheds as identified by the center.
The sum appropriated shall be expended by the center for conservation research and training of the University of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2006.