Community members on the leeward coast have taken the first steps toward preventing flooding in their neighborhood. But more help is on the way. The Lualualei Valley on the Waianae coast has seen more than its fair share of flooding over the past few years. There are sunny skies overhead as dozens of volunteers gather in the Puuhulu Stream bed.
"Just cause there’s no water in it now doesn’t mean its not going to be raging tomorrow," said Richard Reimann. It’s a lesson Reimann learned first hand over the years. "The rain came up around on the Puhawai Road and exited back into the river, through my farm."
Last January a flash flood on Puhawai Road nearly took the lives of two people, and damaged several nearby properties. On Monday volunteers brought out the chainsaws, machetes, and rolled up their sleeves, clearing the stream bed of trash and other debris that all too often clog the path of rushing water.
"We are removing carcasses, removing big time kiawe trees, we are moving herbicides, we are moving cans, bottles," said Jolyn Ballenti of Waianae.
"I feel like i’m part of something instead of negative, I’m part of something positive and I like it," said Kimo Wong of Makaha.
And it was a family affair for those who brought their children along to share a valuable lesson.
"Its very important to have them to come and see stuff like this so they make the connection of where opala is actually going," said Ballenti.
The next generation helped out where they were needed.
"At first I was pretty much helping move stuff out of the way but when I pretty much my dad and my dads boss wanted water I decided to become the water boy and give people out water," said sixth-grader Rowan Lear.
And while cleanups like this help, a more permanent solution is needed. Two million dollars has been released by the state to cover planning, design and construction to improve the drainage in Lualualei flats and level Puhawai Road.
"It’s not only cleaning up the river it’s just to help take care of the reef too cause everything that wash from here goes down to the ocean," said Waianae resident Michael Texeira.
Construction in the Lualualei flats area should begin later this year and more long-range plans are also the works for other flood-prone sections of the Waianae coast.
See the original article at: KHON2 Local News
