Punawai Reservoir

About Punawai Reservoir

The primary purpose of Punawai Reservoir is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Ponoholo Ranch, Ltd. (private).

The dam stands 38 feet tall and stretches 650 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 2 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 30 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1970, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.

This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. Its condition is rated fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 09/05/2024.

At 38 feet, this dam is taller than 85% of dams nationwide.

Living Downstream

If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The Hawaii dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

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