Commission on Water Resource Management

The Commission is responsible for the preparation of the Water Resource Protection Plan (WRPP), which is a key component of the Hawaii Water Plan. The objective of the WRPP is to protect and sustain ground and surface water resources, watersheds, and natural stream environments statewide. Such protection requires a comprehensive study of occurrence, sustainability, conservation, augmentation, and other resource management measures.

Specifically, the State Water Code provides that the WRPP shall include, but not be limited to:

• Nature and occurrence of water resources in the State;
• Hydrologic units and their characteristics, including the quantity and quality of available resource, requirements for beneficial instream uses and environmental protection, desirable uses worthy of preservation by permit, and undesirable uses for which permits may be denied;
• Existing and contemplated uses of water, as identified in the water use and development plans of the State and the counties, their impact on the resources, and their consistency with objectives and policies established in the water resource protection quality plan; and
• Programs to conserve, augment, and protect the water resource.

Recognizing the wide-ranging scope of the WRPP, the Commission is developing the WRPP in phases. It will take many iterations before the WRPP can address the many elements, measures, and programs related to water resource protection and management.

Water Resource Protection Plan 2019 Update

The first WRPP was completed in 1990 and previously updated in 2008. For the 2019 update, CWRM engaged in a multi-level stakeholder outreach process to understand the issues, questions, values, and priorities that Hawaiʻi’s communities have regarding water. This input was used to develop a succinct, action-oriented plan to guide CWRM over the next 5 years. In the updated WRPP the reader will find basic water resource and management information summarized and near-term projects listed in a tabular format.

More detailed information on water resources, management and policies, and long-term projects can be found in the appendices of the report.

• Download Entire WRPP 2019 Document (42.4 MB)

Download Document by Sections

• WRPP 2019 Update (2.6 MB)
• Appendix A – Acronyms and Abbreviations
• Appendix B – Planning Context for WRPP
• Appendix C – Legal Authorities and Guidance
• Appendix D – Permit Process Diagrams
• Appendix E – WRPP Update Stakeholder Outreach Process
• Appendix F – Inventory and Assessment of Resources (26.3 MB)
• Appendix G – Monitoring of Water Resources (4.2 MB)
• Appendix H – Existing and Future Demands (2.3 MB)
• Appendix I – CWRM Regulatory Programs
• Appendix J – Resource Conservation and Augmentation (1.4 MB)
• Appendix K – Drought Planning
• Appendix L – Watershed Protection (4.6 MB)
• Appendix M – Water Quality
• Appendix N – 1989 Declared Surface Water Use
• Appendix O – Long-Term Tasks
• Appendix P – Administrative and Penalty Guidelines

2019 WRPP Implementation Plan Dashboard

The Commission has developed a five-year implementation plan for priority tasks identified in the 2019 WRPP.  The dashboard tracks progress in priority task implementation and status.  For more information on the priority tasks, please go to WRPP Update 2019.

√	= Budgeted funds encumbered
√√	= Task initiated using staff resources
*	= Task not implemented

Fiscal Year 2019

Task	Task Description	Initiated	Status	Subject
1.2.1	Annual WRIMS maintenance	√	Completed
1.3.1	Study climate change impacts on recharge statewide	√	Completed
2.3.1	Develop process/policy to protect traditional & customary rights	√√	In progress
2.3.3	Update irrigation model	√	Completed
2.8.3	Develop water shortage plans (Pearl Harbor)	√	In progress
	Renew USGS Annual Coop Agreement	√	Completed
3.1.1	Update HWP Framework *Legislative appropriation request denied.	*

Fiscal Year 2020

Task	Task Description	Initiated	Status	Subject
1.2.1	Annual WRIMS maintenance	√	Completed
1.3.1	Study climate change impacts on Lana‘i recharge	√	In progress
1.7.1	Study watershed management impacts on recharge	√	In progress
2.1.1	Amend IIFS for priority streams (West Maui)	√	In progress
	Renew USGS Annual Coop Agreement	√	Completed

WRPP Addenda

The following Commission actions will be incorporated into the next update of the WRPP.

Action Date	Action	WRPP Section
Aug. 18, 2020	Adoption of the Pearl Harbor Water Shortage Plan The Commission is accepting public comments on the Pearl Harbor Water Shortage Plan.  Please mail your comments to Commission on Water Resource Management, State Department of Land and Natural Resources, PO Box 621, Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96809, or email to [email protected].	Appendix I
Jan. 15, 2019	Interim Instream Flow Standard Amendment for Wai‘a‘ama Stream, 1.5 mgd at diversion intake	Appendix F
Oct. 16, 2018	Department of Hawaiian Home Lands’ Reservation of 0.513 Million Gallons per Day of Surface Water from the Wailua River, Wailua Surface Water Hydrologic Unit, Kauaʻi	Action Plan, Appendix H

Waimea & ‘Anaeho‘omalu Aquifer System Area Updates

The Commission on Water Resource Management is considering a revision to its recently adopted Water Resource Protection Plan 2019 update, which involves the combining of the Waimea and ‘Anaeho‘omalu Aquifer System Areas, Island of Hawai‘i, based on observed hydrogeologic data.

• Visit Waimea & ‘Anaeho‘omalu Aquifer System Area Updates webpage for more information

PREVIOUS PLAN VERSIONS

2008 WATER RESOURCE PROTECTION PLAN UPDATE

• Download Entire Document [8.4 MB]

 Download Document by Sections

• Cover Page and Table of Contents
• Section 1 – Introduction
• Section 2 – General Water Resource Management Principles and Policies
• Section 3 – Inventory and Assessment of Resources [5.4 MB]
• Section 4 – Monitoring of Water Resources [1.5 MB]
• Section 5 – CWRM Regulatory Programs
• Section 6 – Existing and Future Demands
• Section 7 – Resource Conservation and Augmentation
• Section 8 – Drought Planning
• Section 9 – Watershed Protection
• Section 10 – Water Quality
• Section 11 – Priority Recommendations and Implementation Plan
• Section 12 – References
• Appendix A – Planning Context for the WRPP
• Appendix B – CWRM Permit Process Diagrams
• Appendix C – 1989 Declared Surface Water Use

1990 WATER RESOURCE PROTECTION PLAN

• 1990 Water Resource Protection Plan (Volumes I & II)