NEWS RELEASE: State Agribusiness Development Corporation Takes Next Steps on Wahiawā Dam and Irrigation System Acquisition

STATE OF HAWAIʻI

KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

JOSH GREEN, M.D.

GOVERNOR

KE KIAʻĀINA

DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM

KA ʻOIHANA HOʻOMOHALA PĀʻOIHANA, ʻIMI WAIWAI A HOʻOMĀKAʻIKAʻI

JAMES KUNANE TOKIOKA

DIRECTOR

KA LUNA HOʻOKELE

AGRIBUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

WENDY GADY

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

State Agribusiness Development Corporation Takes Next Steps on Wahiawā Dam and Irrigation System Acquisition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 15, 2026

HONOLULU – The state Agribusiness Development Corporation (ADC) board of directors voted on two measures at its meeting today related to the state’s planned acquisition of the Wahiawā Dam and spillway and Wahiawā irrigation system. The first action was to provide the ADC executive director with the delegated authority to finalize negotiations and enter into the Transfer Agreement. The other was to delegate authority to the ADC executive director to take all necessary actions to complete the transaction described in the Disposition Agreement, previously approved by the board in June 2025, for the acquisition of a portion of the Wahiawā Irrigation System owned by Sustainable Hawai‘i, LLC.

“Today’s action by the board is a critical step in fulfilling the mandate of Act 218 and ensuring the long-term health and safety of our community,” said ADC Board Chair Jayson Watts. “The board has asked the ADC staff to finalize its due diligence so the board can give final authorization before June 30. By bringing this vital infrastructure into public stewardship, we are not only protecting life and property from future flood events, but also securing the water resources necessary to provide a sustainable future for agriculture in Hawaiʻi.”

Based on questions raised by the ADC board, ADC staff will conduct further analysis on the dam system and return to the board with a finalized report, allowing the board to proceed with a final vote before the June 30, 2026 deadline in Act 218.

“The ADC was created by the Hawai‘i State Legislature in 1994 for this exact purpose: to manage the transition of major plantation-era infrastructure into public stewardship,” said ADC Executive Director Wendy Gady. “These systems are often complex, requiring a level of state coordination that falls outside the standard scope of county operations.” 

About the Agribusiness Development Corporation

The Agribusiness Development Corporation (ADC), established by the Hawai‘i State Legislature in 1994 and administratively attached to the Hawai‘i Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), is responsible for converting former plantation lands and irrigation systems into productive, diversified agricultural use. ADC’s mission is to develop the land, water and facilities necessary to expand Hawai‘i’s agricultural economy, enhance food security and support future generations of local farmers. For more information, visit dbedt.hawaii.gov/adc.

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