Water and Power in West Maui

Book excerpt: Water and Power in West Maui draws our attention to the ways control of water resources, in West Maui and across Hawai'i, has been key to the creation and perpetuation of political and economic power and privilege. This volume, by two leading advocates for progressive change in Hawai'i, highlights what has been only touched on by previous volumes on water law or land tenure in the islands, and with specific attention to the environment, history, and communities of West Maui. Individually, chapters on physical and legal infrastructure are invaluable stand-alone guides to key aspects of water management in the state and this area. For instance, one chapter covers recent efforts by the state to restore stream flows, a topic that is otherwise little addressed in published literature. This volume also dives into the inherent failures and unsustainability of the state of Hawai'i's management of groundwater by "sustainable yield," which will have profound implications for the future of Hawai'i water supplies in a changing climate. As a whole, with clear explanations of historical transformation and ongoing bureaucratic practice, the authors identify liberating paths forward. Rather than another treatise on how past bad practices set up a beleaguered present, they suggest how water and power in West Maui and Hawai'i can be better shared for an enduring prosperity for the diverse people within these communities. This volume will be of interest to scholars and historians, and a must-read for practitioners in water management and control, and contemporary environmental and indigenous struggles in Hawai'i and the Pacific.