Evolving Attitudes toward Water Use on Oahu

Abstract

The Hawaiian Islands lie in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. For at least the past century, they have been thought of as an oasis of lushness and tropical greenery. However, the lushness that is so important to tourists and residents alike is a fairly new feature of the islands. Except for some windward locations and high areas which routinely experience orographic rainfall, the Hawaiian climate is somewhat dry. In fact, if it were not for the mountain rains, and winter (Kona) storms, the climate would be almost desertlike. In the light of this naturally dry climate, I wondered how water as a resource is perceived by the people that use it, and how it has been viewed over the years by the residents of Oahu. This paper, then, will seek to trace the attitudes of the people living on Oahu, toward water use. Through historical discussions and present day survey methods, it will try to identify the changes in attitude that may have occurred in the past two hundred years. The island of Oahu has been chosen for study for two reasons. First, it is most accessible to the author, and second, it is the most heavily populated of the Hawaiian Islands.