In Hawaiian culture water has traditionally been considered the source of life and prosperity. During the plantation era, large landowners controlled vast quantities of water to irrigate monocrop agriculture, and today water lies at the heart of a number of social and ecological issues on Maui. The future of island agriculture and food security, as well as the patterns of rural and urban development will all be determined by the allocation of water. The health of freshwater ecosystems will depend on restored stream flow, as will native food gathering practices and taro cultivation.

For a detailed overview of water issues see the Local Issues section of the website. The Political Tracker section is a place to monitor the ongoing actions of the multitude of governing bodies that address water issues. Water issues are addressed at the federal, State, and County levels by multiple committees, commissions, boards and agencies. At the County level alone there are the Water Resources Committee of the County Council, the Board of Water Supply, and the Department of Water Supply, as well as various water/irrigation companies, and watershed management councils.

The intent of this section of the Tracker is to gather in one place information that would otherwise be scattered and overlooked. This information can then be used to guide strategic involvement by those who want to see Maui's waters used wisely and protected for future generations. This may take the form of new legislation, citizen campaigns, educational efforts, or ballot initiatives.

Are you concerned about the state of political affairs at the local level and beyond? Are you drawn to do something about it? The Local Political Tracker is a collaborative tool for informing ourselves and each other, and reclaiming the democratic process. By monitoring key local issues and elected officials we can promote more transparent, accountable, and effective governance. True democracy requires more than just voting. It depends on an active and informed citizenry, and each one of us can do our part.

The Political Tracker concept is simple: as a volunteer you agree to monitor, or "adopt" one or more local issues, government bodies, or elected officials. You gather information, either by attending meetings, reviewing meeting minutes or video footage available online, summarizing news articles, or conducting interviews. You then post your notes via the Data Entry form below.

To post information to the Political Tracker one needs to first complete the volunteer registration process:

• Register and log in to the Evolution-Local website.
• Read and agree to the Political Tracker Volunteer Ethics Agreement
• Complete and submit the Political Tracker Volunteer Form.
• Wait for email notification that your Volunteer status has been activated.