Amid the aftermath of heavy weekend rains, state and local agencies are on a staunch cleanup campaign surrounding Honolulu's Ala Wai canal. A collective of the DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation, the state Dept. of Transportation, and the City and County of Honolulu have mobilized to mitigate the unforgiving influx of mud and debris into the canal. These efforts are in full swing with an anticipated repeat of severe weather on the horizon.
Working yesterday, a DOBOR contractor has deployed heavy equipment to clear detritus from a trash trap stationed at the Ala Wai's mouth, beyond the Ala Moana Blvd. bridge, leading into Waikīkī. The day's labor is expected to culminate with a large trash container filled to brim, intercepting rubbish as to prevent its journey downstream into the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor and, ultimately, the ocean.
"The trap booms only catch about 20% of the debris from the canal and stops it from going into the harbor or ocean," DOBOR administrator Meghan Statts told Department of Land and Natural Resources in their recent press release. This statistic underscores the grim reality of the debris challenge and the quest for more robust solutions.
It's a race against time and nature, as DOT officials are on site this afternoon, devising strategies before another heavy downpour strikes. Hopes are high for additional mitigation measures to be implemented by yesterday or today's dawn. In recognition of everyone's efforts, DLNR Chair Dawn Chang commended her partners—DOT and the City and County of Honolulu—for their support in heading off further debris buildups.
Local authorities are taking no chances, urging residents near the Ala Wai Canal and tributary streams to secure potential canal-bound items on their properties. Evidence of haphazard waste management was starkly apparent this morning when the harbor trash trap revealed items as varied and sizable as large coolers in its catch.
Looking ahead, conversations are ongoing between HDOT, DLNR, and the University of Hawai‘i College of Engineering alongside area legislator Senator Sharon Moriwaki. According to discussions reported by Department of Land and Natural Resources, the focus is on mapping out long-term strategies to curb the persistent trash issues plaguing the Ala Wai canal.
