The DOH, State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), County of Maui, the University of Hawaii (UH) and many conservation groups are working collaboratively to monitor impacts and protect watersheds, nearshore waters, and coastal ecosystems.
Many efforts serve to protect both watersheds and nearshore waters. For example, following the fires, the County of Maui’s Department of Public Works (DPW) immediately deployed Best Management Practices (BMPs) within the burned area to protect drainage systems and waterways. Filter socks and straw waddles have been placed around drain inlets and catch basins throughout the town. Turbidity curtains and check dams have also been installed downstream of burned structures where there is potential to direct runoff toward the ocean. DPW continues to develop and innovate BMPs related to the burn area.
The Army Corps of Engineers is also expediting the removal of ash and debris to limit exposure to near shore waters and watersheds.
The Hawaii Department of Transportation is implementing a stormwater capture system in Lahaina. For more information on this please see the information below.
Department of Transportation - Ka 'Oihana Alakau
JOSH GREEN, M.D. GOVERNOR | KE KIAʻĀINA
ED SNIFFEN DIRECTOR | KA LUNA HOʻOKELE
For Immediate Release: Nov. 21, 2023
Emergency Stormwater Capture System to be installed in Lahaina
Capture system will help prevent disaster debris from flowing into the ocean
LAHAINA, Hawaiʻi – The Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation (HDOT), County of Maui, and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is installing an emergency stormwater capture system in Lahaina to reduce the environmental impact from silt, ash, and other disaster debris potentially entering storm drainage systems.
The $40 million project, which includes design, construction management and continued management of the system through 2024, is funded through the FHWA Emergency Relief program. The area to be covered by the stormwater capture system includes the entire length of Front Street, Honoapiʻilani Highway between its southern connection with Front Street and Wahikuli Wayside Park, and stormwater inlets in Leialiʻi Hawaiian Home Land, Kapunakea, Mala, the Puʻunoa Beach area, Lahaina Town, Lunaville, and Waineʻe. A map showing the project area can be seen here.
Work to prepare the area for installation has begun. People may notice the Best Management Practices (BMPs) in the form of green “socks” or fences to filter sediment and pollutants being installed in the project area. Additional measures may include:
Debris removal through street sweeping, vacuum trucks and road crews.
Source control through the application of hydromulch in open grubbed areas that are historically prone to erosion during storm events. Only nontoxic and biodegradable materials that have previously been used on Maui will be used for the hydromulch.
Inlet protection using sediment fabrics on inlets and catch basins to provide additional filtering of stormwater as it enters drainage structures.
Capture and treatment by temporarily capturing and diverting stormwater for pollutant removal before discharging it back into the storm drainage system.
For more information on Maui stormwater management visit stormwatermaui.com and the Maui County Stormwater Management Program.