Stench from Ka'elepulu Pond persists
By Eloise Aguiar
Advertiser Windward O'ahu Writer
KAILUA — Following complaints of foul odor at a bird habitat in Ka'elepulu Pond in Enchanted Lake, the manager for the wetland has taken steps to clear the area of overgrown vegetation and remove unwanted wildlife that is contributing to the problem.
However, the smell remains, according to habitat neighbors.
After neighboring residents complained to the Army Corps of Engineers in December, habitat owner LECI Properties paid a contractor $10,000 to cut grass around the edges of the pond, deepen the channel and trim grass on islands used by waterbirds for nesting, said Gaylord Tom, LECI agent.
Tom said he also made an arrangement with the Hawaiian Humane Society to trap unwanted ducks and geese on the property and put them up for adoption. The ducks and geese are contributing to the problem, he said, leaving large amounts of feces on the road, sidewalk and grassy area in front of the bird sanctuary.
"We spent big money to have (the contractor) go through all of the criteria that was required by the (Army) Corps of Engineers," said Tom. "Also, we gave the humane society permission to go on the property for the purpose of trapping domestic geese and ducks."
Now it's up to the Army Corps of Engineers to decide whether more needs to be done.
The Corps, which has jurisdiction over U.S. waterways, issued a permit for the bird habitat in the mid-1990s as mitigation for illegal dumping by a previous owner. The permit contains a list of requirements that LECI is responsible for, including dredging a moat around the islands, keeping the grass cut and controlling feral ducks and geese.
Scott Lautner, who lives next to the habitat, said more needs to be done to ensure safety for the birds on the islands and diminish the smell from the area. Lautner wants the water barriers around the islands, which protect birds from predators, dredged and enlarged to their original size to improve circulation.
"The entire reason this came up is because of the smell," he said. "It's our opinion that a bit more waterways would give it some plumbing and definitely alleviate some of the smell."
Lautner said the smell is apparent 75 percent of the time.
Neighbors Robert Bourke and Sen. Bob Hogue said they are pleased with the initial steps but the habitat still needs more work, including clearing the channels around the nesting islands.
Bourke said he has applied for financing to help improve the site and that people in the community have expressed a willingness to help.
"There are surrounding community members who look forward to working with the landowner to bring this wetland resource up to its fullest potential," Bourke said.
Hogue, R-24th (Kailua, Kane'ohe), said he was disappointed that this initial effort left so much undone, including adjusting the islands so they are smaller. The smell, however, is mostly gone, he said.
"They've taken the first step and we appreciate that, but they have a long way to go to get that habitat back to the way it should be," Hogue said.
By the time the Army Corps issued a Notice of Noncompliance with the permit Jan. 7, LECI had hired a contractor to control vegetation and remove the unwanted ducks, Tom said.
The Army Corps inspected the site Feb. 21 and is expected to make a final inspection of the work in about two weeks, said Alexander Kufel, Army Corps public affairs specialist.
"The contractor was making good progress in cutting the vegetation and removing it," Kufel said.
Reach Eloise Aguiar at 234-5266.
