IWRA Proceedings

AbstractThis paper examines the history of freshwater administration and collaboration in the Hawaiian Islands. It focuses on the Hawaiian Kingdom era from 1840-1893, during which indigenous models of water management emphasized shared access and community governance. Laws like the 1840 Constitution and 1876 Forestry Act codified protections for water sources, while water commissioners were appointed community representatives to adjudicate disputes based on local knowledge. However, after the illegal overthrow of the Kingdom in 1893, corporate powers reshaped policies to serve private irrigation projects. Sugar interests gained control of vast tracts of Hawaiian lands and watersheds. Over 20 major ditch systems were developed, capable of diverting over 1.2 billion gallons per day by 1926. This severely disrupted streamflows, traditional cultivation, and community health across islands.