Published 16 days ago • loading... • Updated 16 days ago

Honolulu Spent $450K On Plans For Flood-Prone Stream. Then It Did Nothing

On the North Shore, excavators have finally cleared Kaukonahua Stream of mud, trees, and grass islands through a joint city and state dredging project fulfilling decades-old recommendations.
Studies dating to 1980 identified the need for dredging, with the Army Corps of Engineers warning in 2002 that regular maintenance was essential; the City and County of Honolulu spent more than $450,000 on designs without implementing the work.
Trees and sediment reduced the stream to just 8 feet of clearance when it should have been about 160 feet wide, resident Rafe Maldonado estimated, and March flooding forced residents through waist-high water that buried homes and belongings.
Council member Matt Weyer requested more than $55 million for watershed improvements including Kaukonahua but secured only $3 million for two flood control studies, as the City Council directed more than $16.5 million where more than 80% targets designs rather than actual improvements.
Honolulu Chief Engineer Gene Albano said the city is addressing debris accumulation citing regulatory requirements and ongoing efforts, though a $350,000 design study spent 12 years ago determined dredging infeasible due to cost, with major work not scheduled until at least 2029.

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