Statewide flood control agency and program

(a) The board of land and natural resources, whose functions include under the existing laws of Hawaii, the management and administration of water resources of the State, is hereby designated as the state agency responsible for the accomplishment of the purposes of this chapter. (b) All flood control and flood water conservation and related activities, and any attendant powers and duties, heretofore assigned to other state departments or agencies, but not including flood disaster operations, shall be transferred to the board upon the enactment of this law. (c) It is declared that the general flood control plan is to be regarded as a general guide for the orderly and coordinated implementation of the statewide flood control program and the specific existing and planned flood control programs comprising the plan to be financed by state funds. This declaration is not to be construed so as to constitute approval of the specific flood control programs included in the plan. Nor shall this declaration be construed so as to prohibit the development of lands bordering watercourses or standing bodies of water. The board may, from time to time, modify the plan to the extent that it finds such to be necessary or desirable.