Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
The state land board voted Friday, March 27 to move forward with the acquisition of the Wahiawā Reservoir from Dole Food Co., the first step in a multi-pronged deal that will put the cost of repairing the Wahiawā Dam on the backs of taxpayers.
Agriculture reporter Thomas Heaton breaks down the current ownership structure of the dam, which could cost taxpayers an estimated $67 million to repair the dam and take control of the reservoir, Gov. Josh Green said in a letter to lawmakers last week.
He asked for additional funding for repairs and environmental testing.
Green has stated he supports the dam acquisition as he and other state leaders forge ahead with the deal to repair the dam, spillway and irrigation system fed by the reservoir, also known as Lake Wilson, to support farmers downstream.
Those agricultural interests include Dole, which owns the majority of land that pulls water from the system. The company asked for up to 60% of the water from Lake Wilson after the acquisition.
The 120-year-old earthen dam is considered hazardous, in part because of an undersized spillway that Dole refused to repair. The public safety issues were underscored when last week’s storm brought water levels in the dam within three feet of its crest, triggering evacuation orders for an already flooded North Shore as officials worried that it would fail.
Read the story: civilbeat.org/2026/03/hawai%ca%bbi-land-board-approves-acquiring-wahiawa-reservoir-as-costs-increase
The state land board voted Friday, March 27 to move forward with the acquisition of the Wahiawā Reservoir from Dole Food Co., the first step in a multi-pronged deal that will put the cost of repairing the Wahiawā Dam on the backs of taxpayers.
Agriculture reporter Thomas Heaton breaks down the current ownership structure of the dam, which could cost taxpayers an estimated $67 million to repair the dam and take control of the reservoir, Gov. Josh Green said in a letter to lawmakers last week.
He asked for additional funding for repairs and environmental testing.
Green has stated he supports the dam acquisition as he and other state leaders forge ahead with the deal to repair the dam, spillway and irrigation system fed by the reservoir, also known as Lake Wilson, to support farmers downstream.
Those agricultural interests include Dole, which owns the majority of land that pulls water from the system. The company asked for up to 60% of the water from Lake Wilson after the acquisition.
The 120-year-old earthen dam is considered hazardous, in part because of an undersized spillway that Dole refused to repair. The public safety issues were underscored when last week’s storm brought water levels in the dam within three feet of its crest, triggering evacuation orders for an already flooded North Shore as officials worried that it would fail.
Read the story: civilbeat.org/2026/03/hawai%ca%bbi-land-board-approves-acquiring-wahiawa-reservoir-as-costs-increase
