Commission on Water Resource Management

Commission on Water Resource Management
Name	Commission on Water Resource Management

Commission on Water Resource Management.

The Commission on Water Resource Management is an administrative body established to oversee allocation, protection, and planning for surface water and groundwater resources, interfacing with agencies such as United States Environmental Protection Agency, United States Geological Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, United States Army Corps of Engineers, and institutions like University of Hawaii at Mānoa and Hawaiʻi State Legislature. It works alongside regional entities including County of Kauai, City and County of Honolulu, County of Maui, County of Hawaii, and federal partners such as Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, and National Park Service.

History

The commission traces origins to statutory reforms influenced by precedents like the Water Resources Development Act, Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, and territorial-era statutes enacted by the Republic of Hawaii and later the Territory of Hawaii. Its evolution involved interactions with landmark cases such as Cappaert v. United States and County of Kauai v. State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources and with commissions modeled after bodies like the California State Water Resources Control Board, Texas Water Development Board, and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries it responded to events including Hawaiian sovereignty movement, Hurricane Iniki, Kīlauea eruption (2018–2020), and statewide planning introduced by governors including George Ariyoshi, John A. Burns, and Ben Cayetano.

Structure and Governance

The commission typically comprises appointed members confirmed through processes involving the Governor of Hawaii and the Hawaii State Senate, with administrative oversight by executives comparable to those in the Department of Land and Natural Resources and advice from technical staff akin to teams at USGS Water Science Centers, NOAA National Weather Service, and the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center. Its governance framework aligns with models used by the Hawaii State Planning Office, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Department of Health (Hawaii), and interagency coordination mechanisms like those between Federal Emergency Management Agency and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Internal divisions reflect specialties comparable to Hydrologic Unit Code mapping groups, groundwater sections, and legal counsel offices modeled after Attorney General of Hawaii staffs.

Functions and Responsibilities

The commission administers water rights adjudication, basin management, and resource allocation similar to functions performed by the State Water Resources Control Board (California), while implementing conservation measures aligned with targets from the United Nations Environment Programme, Food and Agriculture Organization, and state plans like the Hawaii Water Plan. It issues permits, adjudicates claims, and sets conditions analogous to processes used by the Bureau of Reclamation and Environmental Protection Agency regional offices, and it contributes to drought response plans referenced by the National Drought Mitigation Center and Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center.

Programs and Initiatives

Programs include watershed management partnerships with NGOs such as The Nature Conservancy, Sierra Club, and Conservation International, and collaborative projects with academic centers like University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program and Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology. Initiatives span invasive species control linked to efforts by US Fish and Wildlife Service, native forest restoration coordinated with Hawaiian Legacy Hardwoods and Kupu (Hawaii), groundwater monitoring networks comparable to National Groundwater Monitoring Network, and integrated water resource management pilots inspired by World Bank and Asian Development Bank projects.

Regulatory Framework and Enforcement

Regulation draws on statutory instruments and case law involving entities like the Hawaii State Legislature, decisions from the Hawaii Supreme Court, and standards informed by Environmental Protection Agency rules and guidance from the National Research Council. Enforcement actions are coordinated with agencies such as the Department of Health (Hawaii), Hawaii Department of Transportation, and county prosecutors, and modeled after enforcement frameworks used by California Environmental Protection Agency and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. The commission also participates in interstate and international forums similar to Pacific Islands Forum and collaborates with tribal stakeholders comparable to consultations conducted by the Department of the Interior with Native American tribes.

Funding and Budget

Funding sources include state appropriations authorized by the Hawaii State Legislature, special funds similar to Clean Water State Revolving Fund, federal grants from programs administered by the Environmental Protection Agency, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and project financing mechanisms used by the United States Department of Agriculture and Department of Housing and Urban Development. Budgetary decisions interact with fiscal offices like the Hawaii State Comptroller and planning frameworks used by the Office of Management and Budget (United States) and are influenced by federal allocations under acts such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Stakeholder Engagement and Public Participation

Public participation processes mirror practices from agencies like Environmental Protection Agency, National Environmental Policy Act review procedures, and consultation models used by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and Hawaii Public Utilities Commission, with outreach to community groups such as the Kānaka Maoli, West Hawai‘i Watershed Council, and aquaculture interests linked to Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company legacy stakeholders. The commission convenes hearings, collaborates with research partners including East-West Center and Bishop Museum, and engages industry associations like the Hawaii Water Environment Association and Pacific Water & Wastewater Equipment Manufacturers.

Category:Water resource management agencies