Water and the Law in Hawaii provides an intellectual and legal framework for understanding both the past and future of Hawai'i's freshwater resources. It covers not only the kanawai (laws) governing the balancing act between preservation and use, but also the science of aquifers and streams and the customs and traditions practiced by ancient and present-day Hawaiians on the aina (land) and in the wai (water).

In placing Hawaii water law in the context of its historical development, the author condenses an enormous amount of information on traditional Hawaiian social structure and...