Recent severe showers that brought flash flooding to the Islands over the weekend have Honolulu’s Ala Wai Canal looking even more under the weather.
The two-mile long artificial waterway that runs parallel to Waikīkī appeared brown and full of debris on Monday, per this Instagram post:
The canal was built in the 1920s to drain rice fields and swamps to develop the Waikīkī district, Historic Hawaiʻi Foundation noted. Today, it continues to be the primary drainage corridor for the Makiki, Mānoa and Pālolo streams.
Residents might be curious — Who is responsible for cleaning up the canal when such storms happen, and when do they do it?
That would be the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, though its capabilities are limited. DLNR Communications Director Dan Dennison told Aloha State Daily by email, “The Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor has a rubbish trap at the bottom of the canal and staff from the DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation [DOBOR], along with slip holders, often clean the inner harbor.
“DOBOR does not have the staffing to clean the canal,” he said. “It would help if people stopped using the canal as a rubbish dump."
According to its website, “DOBOR aims to preserve Hawaiʻi’s natural and cultural resources while ensuring public access to state waters and enhancing the ocean experience.” This includes all boating recreation such as saltwater fishing, surfing, sailboarding, diving, ocean swimming and more.
Since 2023, DLNR’s efforts to clean up the Ala Wai Canal have included millions of dollars in contract work for dredging, improvements and other repairs, according to the state department’s most recent budget report.
Overall, DLNR is responsible for managing an annual budget of $225,360,262 for fiscal year 2025, overseeing Hawaiʻi’s 1.3 million acres of public lands and 3 million acres of state ocean waters, as well as freshwater resources, historic and cultural sites, public beaches and state parks.
Other entities have Ala Wai Canal duties, as well. The City and County of Honolulu manages the watershed draining into it, while The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers works on flood mitigation plans for the area.
Over the years, several independent organizations have also chipped in to help clean up the Ala Wai, such as The Genki Ala Wai Project, The Ala Wai Watershed Collaboration and Protect Our Ala Wai Watershed, among other groups.
Heavy rains, winds and thunderstorms are expected through the end of this week, per the National Weather Service.
Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros can be reached at kelsey@alohastatedaily.com.
