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Tuesday, March 17, 2026

March 17, 2026 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 4:29 PM :: 223 Views

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Wahiawa dam owner says failure risk overstated

SA: … The private owner of a dam in Wahiawa that city officials warned could fail and endanger North Shore residents amid a deluge on Friday contends that the dam functioned as designed, is safe, and actually reduced flood risks.

Dole Food Co. Hawaii said on Monday that it disagrees with the city Department of Emergency Management’s announcement Friday expressing concern that the dam was at risk of breaching, but did recommend and strongly support proactive evacuation messaging as a precautionary measure during an active storm event.

“Dole respectfully disagrees with the DEM’s choice of words regarding the risk of dam failure, but recognizes it was a highly dynamic situation and appreciates their hard work throughout this weekend’s events,” the company said in a statement.

Randal Collins, DEM director, said at a news conference Friday that the reservoir’s water level had risen to 83 feet as of 6 p.m. that day, and that dam failure occurs at 90 feet.

“There is a risk of dam failure,” Collins said. “A failure could send water downstream fast and lead to catastrophic flooding.”

As a result, the city advised residents in Waialua and Haleiwa to evacuate or prepare to evacuate.

Dole said the earthen dam, which was built in 1906 and has a designed capacity to hold back 2.6 billion gallons of water in Lake Wilson seven miles from Waialua, was outfitted with a portable AquaDam barrier ahead of the storm to temporarily increase reservoir capacity.

The company said the addition raised the dam’s height to 90 feet from 88 feet, and that the dam’s spillway at 80 feet functioned as designed to allow water to leave the reservoir safely into a lower portion of Kaukonahua Stream that also receives runoff from the area watershed that includes Opaeula, Helemano and Kaukonahua valleys.

Spillway runoff began at about 1:45 p.m. on Friday and continued through Sunday afternoon, according to Dole.

“This spillway function is a key safety feature that allows excess water to be safely conveyed downstream into the broader stream system,” the company said. “Throughout the storm, Dole personnel monitored the reservoir continuously, both in person and remotely, observing steady and controlled flow over the spillway with no unusual conditions or indications of structural concern. The dam remains in good operational condition.” …

BACKGROUND: Lake Wilson Dam Failure Fear Eases--Evacuation Warning Lifted for Waialua, Haleiwa

read … Wahiawa dam owner says failure risk overstated | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Time ticking down for state to acquire Wahiawa Dam

KITV: … Three years ago, lawmakers passed legislation to acquire the privately owned spillway and dam, so they could be improved. The dam is 120 years old and has various deficiencies, according to the state, including an undersized spillway.

"It doesn't currently meet our standards. Which is why they're constantly monitoring the dam, so that they can let the communities, especially Waialua, know what's happening moment by moment in the case of an emergency," said Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz.

But time is ticking down on the state to acquire the dam and spillway.

If the sale isn't completed in three months, tens of millions of dollars set aside for the project will be withdrawn.

Money many want spent to make sure the aging dam is ready for the next damaging storm….

The issue will be taken up at the next land board meeting on March 27.

Meanwhile Dole Foods Hawaii, released this statement:

"Wahiawa dam and spillway remains stable and is operating as designed. As an additional precaution during the recent storm, an AquaDam was deployed to temporarily increase reservoir capacity and provide additional freeboard. The AquaDam will remain in place throughout the remainder of the wet season."

LINK: Water-Filled Cofferdam and Flood Barriers | AquaDam

read … Time ticking down for state to acquire Wahiawa Dam | Local | kitv.com

Affordable ‘Bill 7’ rentals development projects making mixed progress

SA: … On March 5, the Council’s Zoning and Planning Committee — chaired by Esther Kia‘aina — heard from DPP about the reported number of Bill 7 projects under city consideration.

“There are currently 59 total projects,” DPP Director Dawn Takeuchi Apuna told the zoning committee. “Six have been completed and certificates of occupancy issued, so they are currently occupied.”

She noted 16 are currently under construction and have building permits, while 35 projects remain under city review. “We note that 28 are currently with the applicant, and seven are with the city or other agency,” Takeuchi Apuna said.

The Bill 7 program, as it stands today, has a total potential to create 1,563 housing units, according to DPP.

“Currently, we have added 189 units to Oahu’s housing stock,” Takeuchi Apuna said.

On June 1, 2023, Mayor Rick Blangiardi formally extended Bill 7, which was scheduled to expire May 21, 2024, for another seven years — or until 2031.

Nonetheless, new Honolulu City Council measures, led by Council Vice Chair Andria Tupola’s Bill 18, aim to speed the development of affordable rentals. ….

read … Affordable ‘Bill 7’ rentals development projects making mixed progress | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

HB2424: Sister Isle ‘Agricultural’ Subdivisions Rezone to ‘Rural’

CB: … House Bill 2424… lets the counties petition the state Land Use Commission to reclassify land in agricultural districts as rural so long as the land is subdivided into plots no larger than 2 acres….

read … Neighbor Islands Could See A Rare Political Win In The Legislature - Honolulu Civil Beat

'He Gave Everything To Save Nothing': Firefighter's Family Wants Change

CB: … It was late January 2023 and Tre’ Evans-Dumaran, a 24-year-old firefighter with the Maui Fire Department, was responding to severe flooding when he was swept up and sucked into an uncovered storm drain.

The current dragged Evans-Dumaran more than 1,350 feet through the drainpipe before spitting him out into the Pacific Ocean.

The young firefighter was rescued 40 to 50 feet offshore and rushed to Maui Memorial Medical Center, but, on Feb. 4, he died after eight days in the intensive care unit….

read … 'He Gave Everything To Save Nothing': Firefighter's Family Wants Change - Honolulu Civil Beat

Gabbard Underling Resigns over Iran War

SA: … Joe Kent, who headed the National Counterterrorism Center, is the first senior official in Trump’s administration to resign over the conflict, now in its third week...

Kent is close with Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who has kept a low profile since the Iran war began.

Gabbard has not issued any public statements and has only appeared in public during the dignified transfer of American soldiers killed earlier this month during the conflict with Iran.

The National Intelligence Council, which is overseen by Gabbard’s office, issued several assessments both before and after the U.S. strikes began that highlighted the risks of U.S. intervention. Those reports indicated the Iranian government was unlikely to collapse and Iran would likely retaliate against U.S. outposts in the region and Gulf allies, as Reuters previously reported.

Kent has been criticized by Democrats for his associations with far-right figures, and Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, said he should never have been confirmed to head the counterterrorism office.

“But on this point, he is right: There was no credible evidence of an imminent threat from Iran that would justify rushing the United States into another war of choice,” Warner said in a statement….

(REALLY OBVIOUS QUESTION: Since cult airhead Tulsi Gabbard has no abilities of her own, who will now keep her office running while she does photo-ops?)

(AND THE ANSWER ... SA: Gabbard hires ex-Hegseth aide accused of leaks | Honolulu Star-Advertiser LOL!)

read … Top Trump security official quits, says Iran posed no threat | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

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