The Water Resource Protection Plan is one of five major plans that comprise the Hawai'i Water Plan, which provides the overall guidance and direction for managing Hawai'i's water resources.

The State Constitution establishes the state as trustee of water resources, with the responsibility to set policy, establish regulatory procedure, and establish and protect water use priorities while assuring water rights.

Initially prepared in 1990, the Water Resource Protection Plan update reflects the latest efforts in water resource planning as part of the state's mandate to protect and sustain the water resources for the benefit of the citizens of the State of Hawai'i.

"This update of the Water Resource Protection Plan is intended to provide for more successful coordination and integration of State and county efforts related to sustainable water resources development and to enable the State Commission on Water Resource Management to more effectively implement the statutory objectives of the state water code," said Laura H. Thielen, chairperson, State Commission on Water Resource Management and director, Department of Land and Natural Resources.

All public hearings will begin at 6 p.m.:

i Friday, December 7, 2007 Li¯hu'e Civic Center, Meeting Rooms 2A and 2B

4444 Rice Street, Li¯hu'e, Kaua'i

i Monday, December 10, 2007 Maui High School Cafeteria

660 South Lono Avenue, Kahului, Maui

i Tuesday, December 11, 2007 Kulana 'Oiwi Complex Conference Room

600 Maunaloa Hwy, Kaunakakai, Moloka'i

i Wednesday, December 12, 2007 La¯na'i High and Elementary School Cafeteria

555 Fraser Avenue, La¯na'i City

i Thursday, December 13, 2007 Waiakea High School Cafeteria

155 W. Kawili Street, Hilo, Hawai'i

i Friday, December 14, 2007 Kealakehe High School Cafeteria

74-5000 Puohulihuli Street, Kailua-Kona, Hawai'i

i Monday, December 17, 2007 Kalanimoku Building Conference Room 132

1151 Punchbowl Street, Honolulu, Hawai'i

A public review draft of the Water Resource Protection Plan is available online on the CWRM website at http://www.hawaii.gov/dlnr/cwrm The public review draft may also be reviewed at the CWRM office at the Kalanimoku Building, at 1151 Punchbowl Street, room 227, in Honolulu or at: all Hawai'i state public libraries; the University of Hawai'i at Ma¯noa, Hamilton library; UH Hilo library; Maui Community College library; Kaua'i Community College library; Legislative Reference Bureau, Hawai'i State Capitol; State Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism library; City and County of Honolulu, Department of Customer Services library.