North Kohala Water Corridor Project at ‘Iole

The project aims to restore water to the Kohala Ditch, serving community farmers and the state’s last remaining dairy, to enhance food security and resilience. In 2021, a landslide cut off the sole water source to the Ditch, a vital artery for the Island’s agricultural system that partially runs through ‘Iole, a place-based research center and living scientific laboratory that develops sustainability solutions rooted in the cultural context of Hawai‘i. The project will create catchment reservoirs that will feed a new pipeline within the existing ditch, supplying water to farmers and ranchers such as Meadow Gold Dairy, which has the capacity to provide milk for the Island of Hawai‘i. ‘Iole is the ideal location for the open reservoirs because it receives more rainfall than others along the Ditch. The reservoirs will promote a more controlled and reliable distribution of water throughout the region, mitigating flash flood risks and ensuring a steady supply for agricultural needs.