Updated at 3:27 p.m., Thursday, July 26, 2007
State projects to clean up streams, private lands
Advertiser Staff
In an unusual arrangement, state work crews will remove debris and repair private lands adjacent to Makaua Stream on O'ahu and Wailapa and Kilauea streams on Kaua'i that were damaged in last year's 40-day flood.U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawai'i) has earmarked $5 million in federal funds and the state Department of Land and Natural Resources and state Civil Defense will contribute an additional $1.68 million for the projects.
The work will rebuild the private areas and prevent another disaster like the 2006 fatal breach of Kaloko dam on Kaua'i that killed seven people, said state Sen. Clayton Hee, D-23rd, (Kane'ohe, Kahuku), who announced the arrangement yesterday.
By law, private landowners must maintain their streams, Hee said, but with Makaua, Wailapa and Kilauea streams "they absolutely don't have to contribute."
Hee said he knew of no other similar projects in Hawai'i.
In a news release, Hee said the Makaua Stream project is estimated to cost $1.34 million and the Wailapa and Kilauea streams project is estimated at $5.34 million.
