Water Allocation among Multiple Stakeholders: Conflict Analysis of the Waiahole Water Project, Hawaii

Abstract

Recent years have seen a sharp increase in the demand for water in Hawaii, which has intensified and accelerated the competition for the state's water resources. Specifically, this paper uses the decision support system GMCR II to analyse the strategic aspects of a multi-party water dispute involving the allocation of Waiahole Ditch waters on Oahu, the major economic and population centre of Hawaii. The issue of surplus water allocation is unprecedented in Hawaii and thus there is no explicit water law precedent governing allocation of such water as conceived by the water administrative agencies or the judicial branch.