Kaloko Resevoir

From dKosopedia

Category: Hawaii

Kaloko, a resevoir, located on the island of Kauai in the state of Hawaii. The more than a century-old sugar plantation reservoir failed on March 14, 2006, sending hundreds of millions of gallons down the Wailapa Stream valley, sweeping away homes and killing seven people. The dam breach cut its more than 400 million gallon capacity to approximately a tenth of full capacity.

Kaloko resevoir provides the only source of irrigation to organic farmers east of Kilauea who grow crops that make their way to local farmers markets, O'ahu supermarkets and Mainland food stores. The now fragile supply of water has many farmers worried.

Another concern is whether the breach will even be fixed as noted in a Honolulu Advertiser article by Jan TenBruggencate, dated June 26, 2006:

Jimmy Pflueger, who owns a majority of the reservoir, in March informed the state he wants to remove the Kaloko Reservoir dam, but his representatives say he is reconsidering his position after receiving an appeal from farmers.

"The original thought was to take the dam down, but then the farmers wrote a letter asking us to come up with a plan to keep the irrigation system going," said Bill McCorriston, Pflueger's attorney.

"We can't do anything to help right now. We need some input from the state and the county. We need some constructive direction." [1]

External links

• Wikinews:Hawaiian dam bursts
• Honolulu Advertiser staff. One dead, 7 missing after Kaua'i dam burst Honolulu Advertiser, March 14, 2006.
• Nakaso, Dan. Reservoir sustains agriculture Honolulu Advertiser, March 18, 2006.
• TenBruggencate, Jan. Farmers hoping to save reservoir Honolulu Advertiser, March 19, 2006.
• TenBruggencate, Jan and Daysog, Rick. Kaloko dam danger noted in '84 report Honolulu Advertiser, May 11, 2006.
• TenBruggencate, Jan. Kaloko remains a vein of life Honolulu Advertiser, June 26, 2006.
• Small farmer should be heard in Kaloko debate Honolulu Advertiser, June 29, 2006.
• Barayuga, Debra. Suit accuses Pflueger of covering spillway -- The families of the Kauai dam breach victims say he illegally altered the property Honolulu Advertiser, June 29, 2006.
• Finnegan, Tom. Former Justice Department lawyer to probe dam break Honolulu Star-Bulletin, July 8, 2006.
• Finnegan, Tom. Suits distribute blame for dam -- Neighbors take action against the Ka Loko owner, who sues the state, among others Honolulu Star-Bulletin, August 11, 2006.
• Finnegan, Tom. Dam breach investigation also looks at prevention Honolulu Star-Bulletin, August 23, 2006.
• TenBruggencate, Jan. Crews will search for spillway on failed dam Honolulu Advertiser, December 5, 2006.
• Star-Bulltin staff. Legislature to get report on Ka Loko Dam breach Honolulu Star-Bulletin, January 6, 2007.
• Leone, Diana. Neglect led to Ka Loko break -- Several key legislators promise to use the conclusions of a special report to reform state laws on dam safety Honolulu Star-Bulletin, January 10, 2007.
• Finnegan, Tom. State, owners criticized for lack of inspections, maintenance -- Government and company officials were lax while owner Pflueger failed in maintenance, a report finds Honolulu Star-Bulletin, January 10, 2007.
• Robert Carson Godbey. Report of the Independent Civil Investigation of the March 14, 2006, Breach of Ka Loko Dam
• Finnegan, Tom. Dam victim's dad lauds state report on Ka Loko break -- Those close to the tragedy cheer the study and say it will help stem breaches Honolulu Star-Bulletin, January 11, 2007.
• Ka Loko report is a blueprint for legislative remedy THE ISSUE: An investigation determined that a series of failures led to the reservoir disaster. Honolulu Star-Bulletin, January 12, 2007.
• White, Doug. Dam failure is a political bullet dodged - so far Poinography!, January 11, 2007.
• Chang, Lester. Ka Loko funds OK’d Garden Island, February 2, 2007.
• Shapiro, Treena. Landowners fear changes spurred by Kaloko breach Honolulu Advertiser, February 22, 2007.
• Chang, Lester. Dam bill has Kaua‘i airing Garden Island, February 24, 2007.
• TenBruggencate, Jan. Restrictions on state dams pushed, feared Honolulu Advertiser, February 24, 2007.
• Borreca, Richard. Lawmakers prep new regulations for dams Honolulu Star-Bulletin, March 20, 2007.
• Finnegan, Tom. Judge sets trial dates for Ka Loko Dam cases Honolulu Star-Bullletin, April 18, 2007.
• Zimmerman, Malia. Pflueger Loses Appeal to Hawaii Supreme Court Over Jurisdiction for Ka Loko Dam Trial -- Case Goes to Kauai, High Court Says Hawaii Reporter, July 17, 2007.
• Leone, Diana. Kaloko breach brought action Honolulu Advertiser", March 10, 2008.