Colonial and present day water exploitation on Maui. "In the late 18th century, when the Hawaiian Kingdom became a sovereign state, Lahaina carried such an abundance of water that early explorers reportedly anointed it “Venice of the Pacific”. A glut of natural wetlands nourished breadfruit trees, extensive taro terraces and fishponds that sustained wildlife and generations of Native Hawaiian families." https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/27/maui-wildfire-water-plantations-ecology