SCR56

WHEREAS, the Commission on Water Resource Management is considering a proposed amendment and update to the Water Resource Protection Plan of the Hawai‘i Water Plan to combine the Waimea and ‘Anaeho‘omalu aquifer system areas into the Waimea-‘Anaeho‘omalu aquifer system/sector area; and

WHEREAS, this proposed amendment would also cause the combining of the existing W. Mauna Kea and N.W. Mauna Loa aquifer sector areas into the W. Mauna Kea-N.W. Mauna Loa aquifer sector area; and

WHEREAS, ground water sustainable yields and hydrologic units called aquifer system areas are established by the Commission on Water Resource Management through the Water Resource Protection Plan of the Hawai‘i Water Plan as established by the State Water Code, Hawaii Revised Statutes, chapter 174C; and

WHEREAS, the purpose of properly establishing sustainable yields and aquifer system areas is to properly manage and protect Hawai‘i's irreplaceable water resource; and

WHEREAS, it is recognized that the waters of the State are held for the benefit of the citizens of the State and it is declared that the people of the State are beneficiaries and have a right to have the waters protected for their use as stipulated as a declaration of policy in Hawaii Revised Statutes, section 174C-2; and

WHEREAS, there is a need for a program of comprehensive water resources planning to address the problems of supply and conservation of water; and

WHEREAS, the proposed amendment fails to conserve, augment, and protect the water resource, including plans for stormwater management, reuse, reclamation, and remediation; and

WHEREAS, the draft staff submittal dated December 17, 2019 and amended after the October 3, 2019 meeting is incomplete, missing relevant data and maps, and lacks substantial scientific evidence to substantiate the proposed amendment to combine the aquifer system areas; and

WHEREAS, the proposed amendment is being pursued despite the draft staff submittal stating, "...the buried physical aquifer boundaries associated with changes in the characteristics of the geologic formations governing groundwater flow and changes in the hydraulic conductivity of the rocks that affect or impede the transport of water are not clear in the area"; and

WHEREAS, the draft staff submittal states that "data is limited and not definitive" and "[m]ore isotopic sample analyses would be helpful to confirm" the ground waters flowing from Mauna Kea and Moana Loa mix in the aquifer system areas being proposed to be combined; and

WHEREAS, Figure 9 in the draft staff submittal confirms that ground water isotopic sample analyses was not done in the ‘Anaeho‘omalu aquifer system areas; and

WHEREAS, the proposed amendment to combine the aquifer system areas for Waimea and ‘Anaeho‘omalu for a total of forty‑six million gallons per day is being done to avoid the requirement to immediately address the potential problems of supply and conservation of water for the Waimea aquifer system areas; and

WHEREAS, the proposed amendment to combine the aquifer system areas for Waimea and ‘Anaeho‘omalu would be inconsistent with the water resource protection and water quality plans as mandated by the State Water Code, Hawaii Revised Statutes, chapter 174C; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirtieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2020, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Commission on Water Resource Management is urged to not combine the Waimea and ‘Anaeho‘omalu aquifer system areas; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the aquifer system areas boundaries be kept intact until substantial scientific data and analyses is completed and reassessed with the U.S. Geological Survey; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the aquifer system areas boundaries be kept intact until a complete and thorough draft staff submittal is updated and resubmitted for a public hearing and review; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the aquifer system areas boundaries be kept intact until a sustainable and comprehensive water resources plan is developed for the Waimea and ‘Anaeho‘omalu aquifer system areas; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, Director of Health, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Deputy for Water Resource Management, and Mayors of all counties.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Aquafer System Areas; Combine

THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	56
THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2020
STATE OF HAWAII