State officials joined local taro farmers on Friday to commemorate the completion of an extensive, $2.1 million restoration of Hanalei Stream on Kauai.

Twenty years ago, a breach in the bank of the waterway diverted water from the stream and reduced the flow of water to both the state’s largest taro-growing complex and a habitat for an habitat for endangered birds. The breach also led to flooding along adjacent properties during heavy rains.

In 2011, the state Legislature allocated funds to the Department of Land and Natural Resources to restore the stream.

"Without this work to repair the streambank, flooding of adjoining properties would continue to be a risk, the taro lo’i would be in jeopardy due to insufficient water and habitat for endangered Hawaii waterbirds in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge would be negatively impacted," said DLNR chief engineer Carty Chang.

The streambank improvements, which includes hundreds of native plants set along the stream bank, will be monitored by the DLNR over the next three years. A temporary irrigation system is in place in case of dry spells, but the area is typically one of the wettest agricultural areas on Kaua’i.

DLNR officials expect the vegetation will eventually blend seamlessly with the surrounding forest.

The Hanalei Stream Bank Restoration Project was engineered by AECOM Technical Services Inc., and construction was done by Goodfellow Construction Inc.