Deputy Director Manuel August 10, 2023 Page 2
In response, CWRM asked us whether MFD had requested permission to dip into our reservoirs and directed us rst to inquire with the one downstrea user to nsure that his lo'i and other uses would not be impacted by a tempora reduction (not elimination) of water supply. Communications wer spot, and we had already made a concerted eort to contact the one downstream user. He had not responded. By around 3:30 p.m., a are up had shut down the Lahaina Bypass. At around 6:00 p.m., we received CWRMs approval to divert more water. By then, w were unable to reach the siphon release to make the adjustments that would have allowed more water to ll our reservoirs. We watched the devastation unld around us without the abili to help. We anxiously awaited the morning knowing that we could have made more water available to MF if our request had been immediately approved. Fires ar equent in West Maui. As we experienced, a request to use water om our reservoirs to ght a re must go unmet if we do not have water in our reservoirs. In an emrgency situation, or when an emergency is anticipated, a tempora reduction (not elimination) of water to one individuals rm shold not be prioritized over and delay eorts to save an entire community. We cannot know whether lling our reservoirs at 1:00 p.m. (as opposed to not at all) would have changed the headlines when dawn broke on our weary st responders and heartbroken community. We know that res spread quickl. We know that we need to act ster during an emergency. We know that th community we serve relies on the water as a defnse om spreading re. We know that we must have water available r MFD bere MFD needs it. We know we can do better. Were all in this together. As a rst step, we respectfully request that CWRM immediately grant ongoing authorization to ll the reservoirs when a re has been reported in the area om Ukumehame to Kahoma. As we are lling the resevoirs, we will advis MFD and CWRM of our actions and that water is available if needed. As a second step, we rspectfully request that CWRM immediately suspen the various interim instream ow standards and other regulations in the area om Ukumehame to Kahoma until the emergency period has ended, to ensure maximum support r re suppression, clean-up eorts and our communi as we recover. As a third step, we respectfully request that CWRM immediately initiate proceedings to amend the various interim instream ow standards om Ukumehame to Honokowai to provide more water r re suppression and our community as we ce d months in the years to come and as our community
Deputy Director Manuel August 10, 2023 Page 3
rebuilds. I know you love this communi, too. We are all devastated. No one is happy there was water in the streams while our homes, our businesses, our lands, and our lives were reduced to ash. We cannot suer the risk that it will happen again. Regards,
�:
CC:
J
osh
G
reen,
G
overnor
D
awn N.
S
. Chang, Chair Nani Medeiros, Chief Housing Ocer