HB2684

Report Title:

Wailupe Stream Flood Control

Description:

Authorizes the issuance of $5,000,000 in general obligation bonds for the implementation of the Wailupe stream flood control project.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	2684
TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2002
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to wailupe stream.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the New Year's flood of 1988 caused many millions of dollars in damage to residential dwellings, motor vehicles, and public infrastructure in east Honolulu, severed the main roadway--Kalanianaole Highway--to and from the area, and traumatized friends and relatives. It was only through good luck and the rapid response of county civil defense and emergency services personnel that no lives were lost to the freak weather event and the confluence of other factors that caused this flood to occur.

Despite the public improvements made by the county to prevent a repeat of the New Year's Eve flood of 1988, no permanent steps have been taken to improve the drainage of Wailupe stream in Aina Haina, east Honolulu, in order to protect the more than nine hundred homes that lie in the stream's flood plain. Because of inadequate flow rate and debris separation--factors aggravated by intensive urbanization in Aina Haina Valley and on Hawaii Loa Ridge, Wailupe stream cannot handle the large volume of runoff that would accompany another freak weather event.

Through the natural course of siltation and debris accumulation, the capacity of Wailupe stream will decrease until the next great flood flushes it clean. The natural flushing of Wailupe stream would, however, expose the bridge at Kalanianaole Highway, which was not built to one hundred year flood capacity, to structural damage from floating and submerged debris. The loss of this bridge would practically isolate east Honolulu from the rest of Oahu since the highway through Waimanalo is also subject to flooding during severe storms. In addition, the natural erosion of Wailupe stream is degrading the water quality of Maunalua Bay and damaging nearshore reef formations, which were damaged by decades of urban runoff, as well as abutting lots along its embankments.

Consequently, the purpose of this Act is to authorize the issuance of $5,000,000 in general obligation bonds for the implementation of the Wailupe stream flood control project.

SECTION 2. The director of finance is authorized to issue general obligation bonds in the sum of $5,000,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, and the same sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for fiscal year 2002-2003, for the Wailupe stream flood control project, to be expended as follows:

Plans $1,000,000

Design $1,500,000

Construction $2,488,000

TOTAL $4,988,000

SECTION 3. The appropriation made for the capital improvement project authorized in this Act shall not lapse at the end of the fiscal year for which the appropriation is made; provided that all moneys from the appropriation unencumbered as of June 30, 2003, shall lapse as of that date.

SECTION 4. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of land and natural resources for the purpose of this Act; provided that the chairperson of the board of land and natural resources:

(1) Shall utilize county and federal funds for the Wailupe stream flood control project if these funds are available; and

(2) May allow the department of land and natural resources to assume the title of "local sponsor", should the need arise, to qualify for federal funds and appropriations.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2002.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________