On September 25, 2008, the Commission made a historic decision regarding east Maui stream flows. For the first time in its 21-year history, Commissioners voted to establish measurable interim instream flow standards (IFS). An interim IFS is the amount of water that must be naturally flowing in a stream at a specific location before water may be diverted. Prior to the recent decision, interim IFS for all streams in east Maui were “status quo,” grandfathering all diversions that were in existence when the interim IFS were adopted for east Maui streams on June 15, 1988, effective October 8, 1988. The amended interim IFS will partially restore flows to the following east Maui streams: Honopou, Hanehoi, Puolua (Huelo), Palauhulu, Waiokamilo, and Wailuanui.

On August 28, 2008, the Commission adopted an updated Water Resource Protection Plan (WRPP). The WRPP is one of the five component plans that comprise the Hawai‘i Water Plan, which is a long-range planning document that sets the future of the State’s water resources. The updated WRPP includes the best available information on the availability of ground and surface water resources, existing and future water needs, and water use priorities and policies for allocating water. Commission programs to protect and conserve water resources, such as resource monitoring, permitting, drought and water shortage planning, and resource augmentation are also described in the plan.