Congresswoman Mazie K. Hirono

Waiakea Stream is located in the Waiakea Uka area of the South Hilo District, town of Hilo, Island of Hawaii, Hawaii.  The Palai Stream is also located in the Waiakea Uka area of the South Hilo District.  There has been significant damage to roads, residences, bridges, drainage systems, and personal property over the years due to flooding of both streams.  Feasibility studies of a Waiakea Stream Flood Damage Reduction project and a Palai Stream Flood Damage Reduction project are being developed separately under the Continuing Authorities Program, Section 205 of the Flood Control Act of 1948.  During the separate feasibility studies, it became evident that a more comprehensive approach to addressing flooding in both streams is possible by constructing flood mitigation measures in the shared drainage area above both streams. 

It has been proposed that a combined Waiakea-Palai Streams Flood Damage Reduction project be developed under the Specifically Authorized Program.  The sponsor, County of Hawaii, endorses this comprehensive approach and is fully committed to the development of the combined project.  The newly combined project will take advantage of the separate feasibility plans developed under CAP and a combined project plan will be fully developed in the Preconstruction, Engineering and Design (PED) phase of the Waiakea-Palai Streams Flood Damage Reduction project.

The feasibility studies of the separate Waiakea and Palai projects have shown that a more comprehensive approach to reducing flooding along both streams is the most cost effective and sustainable solution.  Due to the immediate need for flood damage reduction as evidenced by recent storm damage, bypassing Specifically Authorized feasibility study and instead authorizing the combined Waiakea-Palai Streams Flood Damage Reduction project to proceed directly into the PED phase would reduce the project development time period.

The authorization amount requested is $45,000,000, cost-shared between the U.S. Army Corps and the County of Hawaii.