The Hawaii Drought Council (HDC) evolved out of an ad hoc committee formed by the Governor to address the problems of drought in Hawaii.  From its inception, the drought planning process has involved participation from both government and private sector stakeholders.  The Commission on Water Resource Management (CWRM) provides staffing and technical support for the Hawaii Drought Council and its various task forces and committees.

History

• September 16, 1998 – A meeting on Drought Planning Assistance for Hawaii held in Honolulu, Hawaii with the Hawaii Department of Agriculture (DOA), U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), and National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC).
• May 24-26, 1999 - Drought Mitigation Planning Seminar held in Pepeekeo, Hawaii in conjunction with DOA and NDMC.
• September 16, 1999 – Ad hoc Hawaii State Drought Mitigation Committee formed by the Governor.
• January 31, 2000 – Hawaii Drought Council established by the Governor.
• March 28-29, 2000 – Hawaii State Drought Meeting held in Honolulu, Hawaii, co-sponsored by DOA and CWRM.
• April - September 2000 - Hawaii Drought Plan (HDP) drafted and public informational meetings held statewide.  HDP finalized and submitted to BOR.

Membership
The following is a list of the agencies and organizations currently represented on the Hawaii Drought Council:

• Governor’s Office
• Department of Land and Natural Resources
• Department of Agriculture
• Department of Defense (State Civil Defense Division)
• The Four County Water Departments
• Hawaii Farm Bureau
• Hawaii Cattleman’s Council
• Hawaii Association of Conservation Districts
• East Maui Irrigation Co., Ltd.

HDC Leadership Structure

The Hawaii drought leadership structure comprises the Governor’s Office, the Hawaii Drought Council, and various HDC task forces and committees.  The Water Resources Committee is responsible for monitoring and assessing drought conditions and forecasting potential impacts associated with drought.  The Water Supply, Agriculture and Commerce, and Environment, Public Health, and Safety Task Forces were established to identify drought impacts to their respective sectors.  These Task Forces also serve to identify sector-based mitigation measures and emergency response actions to reduce the impacts of drought.  Future plans call for the establishment of County/Local Drought Committees to assess regional drought issues and to identify county-specific projects in which to implement mitigation and response measures at the local level.