#public trust water

After several hours of receiving public comments, the Board of Land and Natural Resources voted Friday, Nov. 14, to defer for six months its decision-making on a DLNR Land Division recommendation to hold a contested case hearing over the proposed disposition of a water license by public auction, or by a set aside via a governor’s executive order to the County of Maui, for the diversion of public surface water from the Koʻolau Forest Reserve.

Essentially interim instream flow standards reduce the use of water for non-instream uses, particularly under low-flow conditions. “We really seek to prioritize public trust uses over non-public trust uses and IIFS are one tool that helps us do that,” state hydrologists said.