The Wahiawā Dam will finally be under state management after the Hawai‘i Agribusiness Development Corp. announced Thursday that it has signed off on transferring the property to the state.
The ADC began discussions to finalize terms to take over management of certain components of the Wahiawā Irrigation System in April, but postponed a final decision on the matter pending further assessments. But on Thursday, the board signed off on a transfer agreement, officially completing the transfer of the land to the state.
“By taking ownership of this system, we are directly protecting public safety and securing a critical, dedicated source of agricultural water that the entire island of Oʻahu depends upon,” said ADC board chair Jayson Watts. “Long-term water resilience requires robust, broader resource integration and ADC is uniquely structured to provide that collaborative statewide framework alongside our state partners.”
The state Department of Land and Natural Resources agreed in March to take over other parcels surrounding the reservoir, also called Lake Wilson, owned by Dole Food Co. That acquisition was postponed due to the March Kona Low storms, which nearly overwhelmed the Wahiawā Dam.
That dam and its associated spillway are part of the parcels ADC agreed to take over, along with about 9.5 acres of land around Lake Wilson and various associated easements.
Dole and Hawai‘i corporation Wahiawā Water Co. Inc., the owners of the properties, agreed to sell the land to the state for a nominal $10 fee.
“This acquisition strengthens the long‑term stability and reliability of central Oʻahu’s water infrastructure,” said Gov. Josh Green in a Thursday statement. “It reaffirms our commitment to responsible resource management and creates an opportunity to modernize operations, improve resilience and build a more sustainable system for future generations.”
The ADC take over comes not a moment too soon: a 2023 bill authorizing the transfer of the land to the state was set to expire at the end of the month if the state failed to take possession by then.
Meanwhile, the state broke ground last month on improvements to the century-old dam to bring it into compliance with modern standards. The $65 million project will widen the dam’s spillway, reducing the likelihood of the dam overflowing during another major storm, and will increase the depth of the reservoir from 65 to 78 feet.
That project will be completed in roughly 18 months.
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