HI HB848

Prohibits the Board of Land and Natural Resources from approving any disposition authorizing water diversion from streams unless authorization is limited to no more than 15 years.

Requires the board to have accurate information about stream water flow amounts and proposed removal amounts before approving a disposition.

Limits water removal to no more than 50 percent of the water in a stream as measured near the diversion point and requires consideration payments of at least 90 percent of the avoided cost to the applicant of obtaining water from an alternative source.

Requires the board to determine that the diversion will not adversely impact the ecological, cultural, recreational, and aesthetic values of the stream.

Mandates that moneys collected through such dispositions be deposited into the Forest Stewardship Fund, with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and Office of Hawaiian Affairs each receiving their constitutionally-entitled share; exempts taro cultivation authorizations from these requirements.