We appreciate the feedback of the public who are taking an interest in and sharing their concerns about the Ala Wai Canal Flood Risk Management project. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the state and the City and County of Honolulu are working together to protect residents and visitors within the watershed. This partnership is the building block for us to move forward on the project, and we agree the need for community engagement and communication is a key component for this project to be successful.

The objective of the Ala Wai Canal Flood Risk Management Project is to reduce the damage and risks associated with flooding in the Ala Wai watershed and to implement an integrated system of project features to reduce those risks. The No. 1 priority is the life, health and safety of all those impacted by flooding events. In the last three years, the islands of Kauai, Oahu, Maui and Hawaii all have had federal disaster declarations due to major flood events. Our goal is to implement protection for the Ala Wai watershed before the next major storm event.

From 2001-2017, the Ala Wai Flood Risk Feasibility Study partners held or participated in many public engagements, including 44 from 2012-2017 alone. At a September 2015 public meeting, notices of the feasibility study draft report with the integrated environmental impact study (EIS) were circulated and posted for review. The report distribution list included more than 200 different individuals and organizations, including neighborhood boards, state and city agencies, and schools, as well as private residences whose properties were identified as potentially being directly impacted. We received 63 draft report comments; each was provided an individualized written response from the partners. A final feasibility study was distributed for public review in June 2017.

The recommended project plan was agreed upon between partners, approved by the Chief of Engineers, and authorized by Congress in 2018.

In 2019, USACE, the state and the city will be developing technical data at project sites to refine the designs developed during the feasibility phase. We anticipate designs will be finalized in the 2020-2021 timeframe. The feasibility study calls for the use of some private property, but we are working to minimize and mitigate impacts, and will do so with input from the potentially affected owners.

During the feasibility study, some private properties were identified as potentially falling within the project footprint and those owners were encouraged to participate in the process. In October 2018, we contacted homeowners in the project area via mail and telephone to discuss a need to visit project sites with USACE enterprise subject matter experts. This effort was coordinated through the city Department of Design and Construction.

USACE, the state and the city governments welcome the opportunity to answer specific project questions. If you have questions or feedback about the project, please email them to AlaWaiFloodProject@usace.army.mil.

View more information on this project at www.poh.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Civil-Works-Projects/Ala-Wai-Flood-Risk-Management-Project/.