HA'IKU, MAUI – The State Commission on Water Resource Management will meet at 11 a.m. Wednesday in Ha'iku, Maui, to hear recommendations on eight east Maui instream flow standard petitions.

Streams for which standards are being developed are Honopou; Hanehoi and Puolua (Huelo); Pi'ina'au; Palauhulu; Waiokamilo; Kualani; Waikani; and East and West Wailuanui.

The meeting will be held at the Ha'iku Community Center, 1008 Hana Highway.

The Commission has the responsibility of establishing instream flow standards to protect the public interest in streams statewide.

Instream flow standards are essentially the amount of water required to flow in a stream for the protection of native fish and wildlife, recreation, scenic views, and other beneficial stream values. The Commission must also balance these instream uses with non-instream uses, such as water for drinking and home use, cultivation of taro, and agriculture, according to a news release from the state Department of Land and Natural Resouces.

The streams under consideration have been diverted by East Maui Irrigation Company for more than 100 years to provide water for sugar in the central Maui plains. More recently, diverted stream water has also gone to Upcountry Maui residents for domestic use and to farmers in the Kula Agricultural Park.

Commission staff will present their findings and recommendations at the upcoming meeting. This process is a considerable improvement from previous efforts, and is the first time that such measurable standards have been developed outside of a contested case hearing.

"The proposed recommendations clearly reflect the commitment and support of the Commission, Administration, and Legislature in advancing stream protection and management in Hawai'i," said Ken Kawahara, Water Commission Deputy Director.

"The process we've applied in east Maui provides a framework to consistently and transparently assess and balance competing stream uses. We believe that the proposed management decisions are reasonable and will allow us to proceed responsibly based on best available information," Kawahara said in the news release.