Pinau Reservoir
Pinau Reservoir is an earth dam located in Kauai County, Hawaii, built in 1916. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a unsatisfactory condition assessment.
About Pinau Reservoir
Pinau Reservoir is a dam in Kauai, Hawaii. The dam is owned by County Of Kauai - Department Of Public Works, Department Of Water, County Of Kauai, Dylan James, Holly Van Every, Joseph Allen, Melvin Willis Iii (local government). It impounds the Poeleele Stream near Koloa.
The dam stands 28 feet tall and stretches 350 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 7 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 71 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1916, the structure is over a century 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 unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 05/06/2025.
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.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Hawaii |
| County | Kauai |
| Nearest City | Koloa |
| River/Stream | Poeleele Stream |
| Coordinates | 21.92470, -159.48847 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 28 ft |
| Dam Height | 28 ft |
| Dam Length | 350 ft |
| Year Completed | 1916 (110 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 71 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 71 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 7 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 3,000 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Other |
| Owner | County of Kauai - Department of Public Works, Department of Water, County of Kauai, Dylan James, Holly Van Every, Joseph Allen, Melvin Willis III |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Unsatisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 05/06/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | HI00158 |
| Federal ID | HI00158 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |