Work staves off Mapunapuna flooding
By James Gonser
Advertiser Urban Honolulu Writer
As heavy rains hit O'ahu this week, quick action by the city to clear debris from Moanalua Stream was being credited with giving Mapunapuna businesses hope they would be spared from a repeat of the damage caused by floodwaters last month.
Advertiser library photo • Dec. 8, 2003
Connie Smales, president of Plywood Hawai'i, said the last time the stream was dredged was four years ago and she was happy to see the city's 20-ton crane at the site. The company suffered an estimated $70,000 to $100,000 in inventory damage when the stream overflowed and 2 feet of water and mud swept through the building on Dec. 7, ruining 60 pallets of plywood.
Ron Uemura, owner of Ron's Auto Parts/Performance, had to wade through muddy water after his store flooded last month.
"It is really pouring now and the stream looks like it is OK," Smales said yesterday. "They pulled all the dirt up to the side of the bank because it was too wet to be hauled off. Our concern is they left some pockets behind the stuff they pulled up, but as long as it drains off OK I think we will be all right."
Smales said she would continue to keep an eye on the stream as long as the rain persists.
The city removed 17 truckloads of green waste and 16 truckloads of silt last week, spokeswoman Carol Costa said.
The Dec. 7 downpour dumped as much as 11 inches of rain on parts of O'ahu over a 24-hour period. Cars stalled in door-high water on some flooded highways and several teenagers were swept down swollen streams and drainage canals before clambering to safety.
Last week a dredging crew began removing tons of silt and mangrove trees from the Moanalua Stream near Smales' business.
Rick Reed, president of Inter-Island Solar Supply on Ahua Street, lost as much as $500,000 in damaged equipment, cleanup work and lost business during the December floods which brought business to a standstill on Ahua Street.
Reed is thankful for the work the city has done, but said much more is needed before he will feel safe.
"The city and county, bless their hearts, they got a little tiny bit of the stream cleaned up by Plywood Hawai'i." Reed said.
"The stream all the way down from that area on both sides hasn't been touched. It needs a major amount of work."
Costa said the responsibility for cleaning the stream is shared between the city, the state and private landowners.
"The only portion that is city jurisdiction is the channelized portion," Costa said. "The rest is state and Roberts Hawaii (which owns property that part of the stream runs through). We went in and took out a lot of the debris."
Reed said someone has to take the lead on cleaning up the rest of the stream, or flooding could happen again.
"I think the governor can get all the parties together and do whatever is necessary," Reed said. "Someone without an ax to grind or a sword to wield needs to get everybody together and say 'OK. There is a problem.' We've got to get this crap out of there. Let's quit squabbling and get the bulldozers in there."
Gov. Linda Lingle signed a disaster proclamation Dec. 23 to allow residents whose homes or businesses were damaged by flooding to qualify for loans. Homeowners can qualify for personal loans of up to $35,000 through the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism and businesses can qualify for loans of up to $75,000.
Reed said so far the stream is flowing and customers can get in and out of his business, but whenever he sees rain clouds over the Moanalua Valley watershed for several days, he worries.
"We are still here, and we are praying," Reed said.
Reach James Gonser at jgonser@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2431.
