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NR02-05
March 28, 2002

Community Meeting Scheduled on Hamakua Agriculture Issues

Honolulu - A meeting is scheduled to update the community on agricultural issues affecting the Hamakua District on the Big Island. The meeting, which is being held jointly by State Representative Dwight Takamine, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA,) is open to the public and is scheduled for Wednesday, April 3, 2001 at 7:00 p.m. at the Honokaa School Cafeteria.

The agenda includes updates on the ongoing repair projects on the Lower Hamakua Irrigation Ditch and the anticipated return of water flow to the Hi'ilawe Falls in Waipio Valley in two months. Surface water had been diverted from one of the twin falls about 12 years ago so that repairs could be made to the Lower Hamakua Ditch. The ditch system was formerly part of the Hamakua Sugar irrigation system, which came into disrepair after the company shut down operations. HDOA took over the system in 1994 to maintain and repair the aging water system to support diversified agriculture in the area. Repair work on the Lower Hamakua Ditch is currently in the third phase of a six-phase plan.

Other irrigation-related projects will also be discussed at the meeting, including the Hi'ilawe By-Pass Tunnel project, Honokaa Reservoir project, Paauilo Distribution Pipeline project, and the Paauilo Reservoir lining project.

HDOA's Agribusiness Development Corporation will also present and discuss its plan for an agricultural subdivision that will make more land available for farmers.

For more information on the meeting, please contact Brian Kau of HDOA's Agricultural Resource Management Division at 973-9473.

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