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The goal of the Hawaii
Drought Plan is to develop coordinated emergency response
mechanisms, while at the same time outlining steps towards
mitigating the effects of future drought occurrences. The key
elements to a successful drought plan are outlined as follows:
A comprehensive rainfall pattern
and climate monitoring system to provide early warning of emerging
droughts to decision makers, stakeholders, and the general public.
A network of people and/or
organizations who can effectively assess evolving impacts of water
shortages on agriculture, recreation, hydropower, municipal and
domestic water supplies, wildlife, and other areas that are
sensitive to reduced rainfall and fluctuations in water supply.
Clear policies and establishment
of response entities to implement immediate and short-term
response measures to reduce drought impacts and longer-term
mitigation measures to reduce the future impacts of drought.
The Hawaii Drought Plan should
also include a description of historical occurrences, climatological
statistics, risk assessments of susceptibility and vulnerability to
drought, as well as identification of potential impacts related to
specific geographical locations. The plan emphasizes identification
of pre- and post-drought preparedness and mitigation measures for
implementation by government agencies, stakeholders, and the general
public.
The Hawaii Drought Plan
establishes a leadership structure comprised of the:
Hawaii Drought Council
State Drought Coordinator
Water Resources Committee
County/Local Drought Committees
Participation in these groups is
designed to include, but not be limited to, individuals and/or
organizations that can best share their expertise and familiarity
about local issues, resources, and priorities regarding drought
preparedness and response. Perhaps, more importantly, membership in
these committees should be comprised of individuals who can
effectively communicate and interact with their constituents with
regard to implementation of mitigation measures established as part
of the plan.
The Plan also proposes development
of a public outreach component consisting of drought- related
projects, educational-based programs, and development and initiation
of statewide water conservation measures. In addition, the drought
plan makes several recommendations regarding performance of risk
management assessments pertaining to potential drought impacts.
In 2004, County Drought Committees were
formed for each of the four counties in Hawaii. Each of these
Committees developed a drought mitigation strategy for their
respective counties, focusing on drought mitigation projects.
These county drought mitigation strategies are incorporated by
reference into the Hawaii Drought Plan and demonstrate local needs
and concerns for drought mitigation in each county. To review
these documents, click on the links below:
County of
Kauai Drought Mitigation Strategies, October 2004
City and
County of Honolulu Drought Mitigation Strategies, November 2004
County of
Maui Drought Mitigation Strategies, October 2004
County of
Hawaii Drought Mitigation Strategies, October 2004
April
2005: The
Commission on Water Resource Management has updated the Hawaii
Drought Plan (HDP) with assistance from the U.S. Bureau of
Reclamation. The HDP has been forwarded to Reclamation for consideration of submission to Congress under Title
II, Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1991, as
amended (P.L. 102-250 and 106-566). The HDP is intended to be
a living document and will be updated from time to time as new
information becomes available or as updates become necessary.
To review the
document, click on the link below.
Hawaii Drought Plan - 2005 Update
(February 2005 - 8.9 MB)
August 25, 2000:
In 1999, at the height of a prolonged drought, various agencies and
businesses in the public and private sectors were called together to
examine ways to mitigate the effects of drought in Hawaii. The
group consisted of representatives from federal, state and county
agencies, agricultural organizations, and private water system
purveyors. With valuable technical assistance provided by the
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the group developed Phase 1 of the
Hawaii Drought Plan. Following extensive meetings with he
Commission on Water Resource Management posted the Hawaii Drought
Plan - Phase 1.
To review the
document, click on the link below.
Hawaii Drought Plan - Phase 1
(August 22, 2000 - 227 KB)
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