LIHU'E, Kaua'i — As flood damage on Kaua'i was being assessed, it was clear that Hanalei — which received 13 inches of rain in 24 hours last week — also will be the site of the most costly repairs.

Of an estimated $876,000 in flood damage to the Kaua'i Department of Water system, about $500,000 will go to repair the broken pipeline that brought water from Princeville under the Hanalei River to Hanalei town, spokeswoman Faith Shiramizu said last week.

Meanwhile, Hanalei Valley taro farmers convinced state and federal regulators on Thursday to authorize emergency repairs of a Hanalei River diversion that threatens the entire valley's taro crop, valued at $2.6 million.

Permits needed for the work were expected to be finalized Friday and work was to begin almost immediately to rebuild a stone wall that directs river water into the terraced kalo loi. Taro farmers will do the work, assisted by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the county.

The Hanalei Wildlife Refuge, which protects rare and endangered Hawaiian water birds, encompasses many of the taro fields, which provide habitat for the birds.

"We're very interested in restoring water flow, for the endangered waterbirds and the taro crop," said Barry Stieglitz, FWS Pacific refuges project leader.

Stieglitz said there's no estimate for the short-term fix, which can be accomplished in a few days, but that a more permanent solution will have a significant price tag.

Because the taro fields are designed to drain water flowing into them, they are beginning to dry out now, despite recent flooding, said Karol Haraguchi of W.T. Haraguchi Farm.

If water from the river isn't restored to the 190 acres of Hanalei taro fields within the next week, the entire crop could be lost, Haraguchi said.

Kaua'i supplies 80 percent of the state's taro, and Hanalei growers are major contributors.

Only a few reports of home or business losses from flood damage have been made to the Kaua'i County Civil Defense Agency since it requested them on Tuesday, administrator Mark Marshall said late last week.

Marshall said the biggest public expense will be for water system fixes. The county also will need to replace guardrails that washed out on some bridges and will have overtime expenses for workers who cleared roads and beaches of debris, he said.

In addition to the cost to restore the Princeville-to-Hanalei waterline, another $350,000 will be needed to repair damage to waterlines supplying mauka Kawaihau District areas of Kapa'a and Wailua on Kaua'i's east side. These are the areas that were without water service on Nov. 15 and 16.