Publications

Published Commission Reports

These reports are published or contracted by Commission staff on a range of topics related to the study and assessment of Hawaii’s water resources.

Click to View Published Commission Reports
Year
Reports
2008
 Water Management Software to Estimate Crop Irrigation Requirements for Consumptive Use Permitting In Hawaii, Final Report [2.5 MB]
2008
 Report of Molokai Water Working Group [470 KB]
2008
 RAM2 Modeling and the Determination of Sustainable Yields of Hawaii Basal Aquifers [8.2 MB]
2005
 Surface-Water Hydrologic Units: A Management Tool for Instream Flow Standards [4.6 MB] 2004 Hawaii Water Use Survey and Report [15.8 MB]
2003
 A Study of the Ground Water Conditions in North and South Kona and South Kohala Districts, Island of Hawaii, 1991-2002 [2.3 MB]Drought Risk and Vulnerability Assessment and GIS Mapping Project [29.3 MB]
1996
 Reevaluation of the Ground-Water Resources and Sustainable Yield of the Ewa Caprock Aquifer [1.4 MB]A Numerical Ground-Water Model for the Island of Lanai, Hawaii [6.6 MB]
1990
 Report R84: Hawaii Stream Assessment, A Preliminary Appraisal of Hawaii’s Stream Resources [14.1 MB]

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Publications

The Commission, along with various agencies, regularly partner with the U.S. Geological Survey to cooperatively fund hydrologic and biological studies conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey

Click to View USGS Publications
Year
Reports
2012
 Open File Report 2012-1115. Measurement of Seepage Losses and Gains, East Maui Irrigation Diversion System, Maui, Hawaii. ➽
2010 Scientific Investigations Report 2010-5011. Effects of Surface-Water Diversion on Streamflow, Recharge, Physical Habitat, and Temperature, Nā Wai ‘Ehā, Maui, Hawai‘i. ➽
   
2006 Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5285. ➽ Natural and Diverted Low-Flow Duration Discharges for Streams Affected by the Waiāhole Ditch System, Windward O’ahu, Hawai’i.
2005 Scientific Investigations Report 2005-5213. ➽ Effects of Surface-Water Diversions on Habitat Availability for Native Macrofauna, Northeast Maui, Hawaii.
2004 Scientific Investigations Report 2004-5262. ➽ Median and Low-Flow Characteristics for Streams under Natural and Diverted Conditions, Northeast Maui, Hawaii.
Scientific Investigations Report 2004-5080. ➽ Trends in Streamflow Characteristics at Long-Term Gaging Stations, Hawaii.Fact Sheet 2004-3104. ➽ Trends in Streamflow Characteristics in Hawaii, 1913-2002.
 2001 Open-File Report 01-350. ➽ Drilling, Construction, Water-Level, and Water-Quality Information for the Kualapuu Deep Monitor Well
4-0800-01, Molokai, Hawaii.
1999 Water-Resources Investigations Report 99-4090. ➽ Ground-Water Occurrence and Contribution to Streamflow, Northeast Maui, Hawaii.
Water-Resources Investigations Report 99-4073. ➽ Geohydrology and Numerical Simulation of the Ground-Water Flow System of Kona, Island of Hawaii.Water-Resources Investigations Report 98-4159. ➽ Water Budget of East Maui, Hawaii.Water-Resources Investigations Report 98-4142. ➽ Ground Water and Surface Water in the Haiku Area, East Maui, Hawaii.
1997 Water-Resources Investigations Report 97-4232. ➽ Evaluation of the U.S. Geological Survey Ground-Water Data-Collection Program in Hawaii, 1992.
1996 Water-Resources Investigations Report 96-4238. ➽ Water Budget for the Lahaina District, Island of Maui, Hawaii.
Water-Resources Investigations Report 95-4212. ➽ Evaluation of the Surface-Water Quantity, Surface-Water Quality, and Rainfall Data-Collection Programs in Hawaii, 1994.
1995 Water-Resources Investigations Report 95-4180. ➽ Evaluation of Ground-Water Resources From Available Data, 1992, East Molokai Volcano, Hawaii.
1992 Water-Resources Investigations Report 92-4099. ➽ Estimation of Median Streamflows at Perennial Stream Sites in Hawaii.
1991 Water-Resources Investigations Report 89-4209. ➽ Water resources of the island of Kahoolawe, Hawaii; preliminary findings.
1983 Open-File Report 81-1056-A. ➽ Summary of Available Data on Surface Water, State of Hawaii – Volume 2: General Information and Station List for the Islands of Oahu, Molokai, Maui and Hawaii
Open-File Report 81-1056-B. ➽ Summary of Available Data on Surface Water, State of Hawaii – Volume 3: Station Location Maps for the Islands of Oahu, Molokai, Maui and Hawaii
1981 Open-File Report 81-1056. ➽ Summary of Available Data on Surface Water, State of Hawaii – Volume 1: Island of Kauai.

Circulars: These reports  were previously published by Commission staff or the Division of Water and Land Development on a range of topics. Prior circulars may be posted as they become available digitally (depending on demand). For reference purposes, circulars (C) were assigned sequential numbers in the order that they were produced (e.g., C-1, C-2…).

View Circulars
Year
Reports
1992
 C-123 Declarations of Water Use, Volume I: Declarations Summarized by File Reference [23 MB]C-123 Declarations of Water Use, Volume II: Location Data Sorted by Tax Map Key [12 MB]

Hawaii Division of Hydrography: These bulletin contain the first comprehensive and detailed studies of the geology and ground water resources of the (then) Territory of Hawaii. The main author of this remarkable series was Harold T. Stearns, a geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey for more than 20 years. The Bulletins have long been out-of-print, but are still important references for anyone working in the field of Hawaiian geology. Eight of the 13 Bulletins that were produced are provided below in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. To learn more about these bulletins, please visit the U.S. Geological Survey ➽, from which the Bulletins below are linked. (Text excerpted from U.S. Geological Survey Website).

View Hawaii Division of Hydrography Bulletins
Year
Reports
1935
 Bulletin 1 [64.5 MB] ➽, Plate 2 [8.79 MB]: Stearns, H.T., and Vaksvik, K.N. (1935). Geology and Ground-Water Resources of the Island of Oahu, Hawaii. Hawaii (Territory): Division of Hydrography. 479 p.
1938
 Bulletin 4 [15.1 MB] ➽: Stearns, H.T., and Vaksvik, K.N. (1938). Records of the Drilled Wells On The Island of Oahu. Hawaii (Territory): Division of Hydrography. 213 p.
1940
 Bulletin 6 [32.3 MB] ➽, Plate 1 [2.56 MB]: Stearns, H.T. (1940). Geology and Ground-Water Resources of the Islands of Lanai and Kahoolawe, Hawaii. Hawaii (Territory): Division of Hydrography. 177 p.Stearns, H.T. (1940). Part 1: Geology and Ground-Water Resources of the Island of Lanai, Hawaii. In H.T. Stearns, Bulletin 6: Geology and Ground-Water Resources of the Islands of Lanai and Kahoolawe, Hawaii (pp. 1-115). Hawaii (Territory): Division of Hydrography.Macdonald, G.A. (1940). Petrography [of Lanai]. In H.T. Stearns, Bulletin 6: Geology and Ground-Water Resources of the Islands of Lanai and Kahoolawe, Hawaii (pp. 61-63). Hawaii (Territory): Division of Hydrography.Swartz, J.H. (1940). Geophysical Investigations on Lanai. In H.T. Stearns, Bulletin 6: Geology and Ground-Water Resources of the Islands of Lanai and Kahoolawe, Hawaii (pp. 97-115). Hawaii (Territory): Division of Hydrography.Stearns, H.T. (1940). Part 2: Geology and Ground-Water Resources of the Island of Kahoolawe, Hawaii. In H.T. Stearns, Bulletin 6: Geology and Ground-Water Resources of the Islands of Lanai and Kahoolawe, Hawaii (pp. 117-173). Hawaii (Territory): Division of Hydrography.Macdonald, G.A. (1940). Petrography of Kahoolawe. In H.T. Stearns, Bulletin 6: Geology and Ground-Water Resources of the Islands of Lanai and Kahoolawe, Hawaii (pp. 149-173). Hawaii (Territory): Division of Hydrography.
1942
 Bulletin 7 [70 MB] ➽, Plate 1 [5.99 MB]: Stearns, H.T., and Macdonald, G.A. (1942). Bulletin 7: General Geology and Ground-Water Resources of the Island of Maui, Hawaii. Hawaii (Territory): Division of Hydrography. 344 p.Stearns, H.T. (1942). Part 1: General Geology and Ground-Water Resources of the Island of Maui, Hawaii. In H.T. Stearns and G.A. Macdonald, Bulletin 7: General Geology and Ground-Water Resources of the Island of Maui, Hawaii (pp. 1-222). Hawaii (Territory): Division of Hydrography.Macdonald, G.A. (1942). Part 2: Geology and Ground-Water Resources of the Nahiku Area, East Maui. In H.T. Stearns and G.A. Macdonald, Bulletin 7: General Geology and Ground-Water Resources of the Island of Maui, Hawaii (pp. 223-274). Hawaii (Territory): Division of Hydrography.Macdonald, G.A. (1942). Petrography of Maui. In H.T. Stearns and G.A. Macdonald, Bulletin 7: General Geology and Ground-Water Resources of the Island of Maui, Hawaii (pp. 275-334). Hawaii (Territory): Division of Hydrography.
1946
 Bulletin 9 [92.6 MB] ➽: Stearns, H.T., and Macdonald, G.A. (1946). Bulletin 9: Geology and Ground-Water Resources of the Island of Hawaii. Hawaii (Territory): Division of Hydrography. 363 p.
1947
 Bulletin 11 [21.6 MB] ➽, Plate 1 [5.62 MB]: Stearns, H.T., and Macdonald, G.A. (1947). Bulletin 11: Geology and Ground-Water Resources of the Island of Molokai, Hawaii. Hawaii (Territory): Division of Hydrography. 113 p.Macdonald, G.A. (1947). Petrography of Molokai. In H.T. Stearns and G.A. Macdonald, Bulletin 11: Geology and Ground-Water Resources of the Island of Molokai, Hawaii. (pp. 89-110) Hawaii (Territory): Division of Hydrography.
1947
 Bulletin 12 [8.2 MB] ➽: Stearns, H.T. (1947). Bulletin 12: Geology and Ground-Water Resources of the Island of Niihau, Hawaii. Hawaii (Territory): Division of Hydrography. 53 p.Macdonald, G.A. (1947). Petrography of Niihau. In H.T. Stearns, Bulletin 12: Geology and Ground-Water Resources of the Island of Niihau, Hawaii. (pp. 39-51) Hawaii (Territory): Division of Hydrography.
1960
 Bulletin 13 [22.9 MB] ➽, Plate 1 [9.19 MB]: Macdonald, G.A., Davis, D.A., and Cox, D.C. (1960). Bulletin 13: Geology and Ground-Water Resources of the Island of Kauai, Hawaii. Hawaii: Division of Hydrography. 212 p.

Reports to the Legislature: The reports are prepared annually for the Legislature by the Department of Land and Natural Resources and the Commission on Water Resource Management.

View Reports to the Legislature
Year
Reports
2022 Identification of Rivers and Streams Worthy of Protection.
2021
 Identification of Rivers and Streams Worthy of Protection.
2020
 Identification of Rivers and Streams Worthy of Protection.
2019
 Identification of Rivers and Streams Worthy of Protection.
2018
 Identification of Rivers and Streams Worthy of Protection.
2017
 Identification of Rivers and Streams Worthy of Protection.
2016
 Identification of Rivers and Streams Worthy of Protection.
2015
 Identification of Rivers and Streams Worthy of Protection.
2014 Identification of Rivers and Streams Worthy of Protection.
2013
 Identification of Rivers and Streams Worthy of Protection.
2012
 Identification of Rivers and Streams Worthy of Protection.
2011
 Identification of Rivers and Streams Worthy of Protection.
2010
 Identification of Rivers and Streams Worthy of Protection.
2009
 20-Year Review of Water Use Permits.Identification of Rivers and Streams Worthy of Protection.
2008
 Identification of Rivers and Streams Worthy of Protection.
2007
 Identification of Rivers and Streams Worthy of Protection.Status of the Statewide Field Investigations of Streams to Establish Instream Flow Standards.
2006
 Identification of Rivers and Streams Worthy of Protection.Urging the Commission on Water Resource Management to Fulfill its Constitutional and Statutory Mandate to Protect Public Instream Uses.
2005
 Identification of Rivers and Streams Worthy of Protection.
2004 Identification of Rivers and Streams Worthy of Protection.
2003 Identification of Rivers and Streams Worthy of Protection.
2002 Identification of Rivers and Streams Worthy of Protection.Expenditure and Progress Report of Study Incorporating the State Agricultural Water Use and Development Plan into the State Water Projects Plan.The Progress of Establishing the Reasonable Cost to be Assessed to the Permittees as Defined by Water Use Permit Applications (Waiahole Ditch) 94 Hawaii 97 (2000).

Other Reports: Various entities or agencies publish reports which serve to support and inform the work of the Commission.

View Other Reports
Year
Reports
2007
 Open-File Report 2007-1157. ➽ Water Use in Wetland Kalo Cultivation in Hawai‘i
2000
 Fact Sheet 126-00. ➽ Ground Water in Hawaii.
1969
 Public Land Policy in Hawaii: An Historical Analysis ➽