According to long time Hanalei Resident, Mr. Michael G. Sheehan, alterations to the wetlands in Hanalei Valley have led to a number of unexpected negative consequences to the environment. He points to four fishponds and a berm/damn, built in the 1990’s that act as barriers for the natural flow of the Hanalei River. The natural flow of the Hanalei River includes water that naturally flows across the wetlands. The fishponds were originally built in the 1900’s to accommodate the native bird population in Hanalei Valley. The reason a berm was built is uncertain, however, some long time residents believe that the berm was built to create a road. Add to this, the large stones placed along the area beaches, what we have is a situation where the river severely backs up during heavy rains. Some believe the April 2018 Floods clearly highlights these problems. For more detailed information, please see attached , Flood Plain Re-Analysis Report, Area Pictures of Hanalei Valley, and other important communications between concerned citizens and the government agencies regarding the Hanalei River Valley.
