In 1995, prior to Newcomb's snail being listed as threatened, the County of Kaua`i planned a major water diversion project to capture flow from Makaleha Springs for domestic use. The project construction and operation was expected to eliminate the entire subpopulation of Newcomb's snail at Makaleha Springs. The application process was continued by the Kaua`i Board of Water Supply and cleared a number of State and local regulatory reviews. Ultimately, the State Commission on Water Resource Management denied the applicable permits on the basis of numerous unresolved environmental issues, including impacts to aquatic life.