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Ka Loko leaves concerns, seven lives in its wake
by Lester Chang - THE GARDEN ISLAND
More than nine months after the Ka Loko Reservoir breach created an environmental disaster that killed seven, the episode looms large and remains contentious.
Bruce Fehring — who lost two relatives and five friends who lived in his homes on the Wailapa Stream that were swept away in the flooding — filed a lawsuit against retired Honolulu car dealer James Pflueger, who owns the land under the reservoir.
The government has tried unsuccessfully to find a spillway that could have prevented the breaching, but Pflueger’s attorneys say one exists.
The tragedy, though, had its roots months before — thanks to a record 40 days of rain which contributed to widespread flooding across the island.
The strain proved too much for Ka Loko, and when the dam failed, hundreds of millions of gallons of water surged down the Wailapa Stream toward Kilauea on sunrise March 14, first overwhelming the already bloated Morita Reservoir then slamming into a cluster of homes where the victims slept, sweeping the structures off their foundations.
The 20-foot stream cut a 100-yard swath, closed Kuhio Highway and sealed the North Shore off from the rest of the island.
Entire groves of trees were wiped out and redeposited downstream in huge piles of broken limbs, trunks, refrigerators and cars.
So much happened so fast, the island hardly knew where to turn its attention.
Toxins were seeping into the soil from debris. Bodies were still unaccounted for. The road was still closed. The North Shore was out of food.
Only three bodies were ever recovered, one a mile off shore.
The government responded quickly, reopening Kuhio Highway. Gov. Linda Lingle and other dignitaries hit the ground, followed by the American Red Cross and countless other aid organizations.
While parts of the island banded together for the victims, others united in outrage amid fears that other reservoirs around the island would fail next.
Mayor Bryan Baptiste gave assurances that local, state and federal government was working at full tilt, saying 50 federal, state and county emery personnel have worked around the clock to expedite the recovery and to prevent further calamities.
Many blamed the government for a lack of supervision and long lapses in mandatory inspections and dam report filings by private owners, though.
In cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the state Civil Defense Agency launched a comprehensive series of inspections on all of Hawai‘i’s 123 dams, finding 53 to be high hazard, including 21 on Kaua‘i.
With most dams on private property, government authorities have been working with landowners on improving the conditions of their dams and reservoirs.
Daniel Arroyo, Alan Dingwall, Aurora Fehring, Rowan Fehring-Dingwall, Christina Macnees, Timothy Noonan and Wayne Rotstein died in the Ka Loko disaster.
Bruce Fehring — who lost two relatives and five friends who lived in his homes on the Wailapa Stream that were swept away in the flooding — filed a lawsuit against retired Honolulu car dealer James Pflueger, who owns the land under the reservoir.
The government has tried unsuccessfully to find a spillway that could have prevented the breaching, but Pflueger’s attorneys say one exists.
The tragedy, though, had its roots months before — thanks to a record 40 days of rain which contributed to widespread flooding across the island.
The strain proved too much for Ka Loko, and when the dam failed, hundreds of millions of gallons of water surged down the Wailapa Stream toward Kilauea on sunrise March 14, first overwhelming the already bloated Morita Reservoir then slamming into a cluster of homes where the victims slept, sweeping the structures off their foundations.
The 20-foot stream cut a 100-yard swath, closed Kuhio Highway and sealed the North Shore off from the rest of the island.
Entire groves of trees were wiped out and redeposited downstream in huge piles of broken limbs, trunks, refrigerators and cars.
So much happened so fast, the island hardly knew where to turn its attention.
Toxins were seeping into the soil from debris. Bodies were still unaccounted for. The road was still closed. The North Shore was out of food.
Only three bodies were ever recovered, one a mile off shore.
The government responded quickly, reopening Kuhio Highway. Gov. Linda Lingle and other dignitaries hit the ground, followed by the American Red Cross and countless other aid organizations.
While parts of the island banded together for the victims, others united in outrage amid fears that other reservoirs around the island would fail next.
Mayor Bryan Baptiste gave assurances that local, state and federal government was working at full tilt, saying 50 federal, state and county emery personnel have worked around the clock to expedite the recovery and to prevent further calamities.
Many blamed the government for a lack of supervision and long lapses in mandatory inspections and dam report filings by private owners, though.
In cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the state Civil Defense Agency launched a comprehensive series of inspections on all of Hawai‘i’s 123 dams, finding 53 to be high hazard, including 21 on Kaua‘i.
With most dams on private property, government authorities have been working with landowners on improving the conditions of their dams and reservoirs.
Daniel Arroyo, Alan Dingwall, Aurora Fehring, Rowan Fehring-Dingwall, Christina Macnees, Timothy Noonan and Wayne Rotstein died in the Ka Loko disaster.
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candyrosh wrote on Jun 10, 2009 10:21 PM:
" “The burial treatment plan is very flawed,” Huff said. “It is a clear violation of our rights as indigenous people.”
“We will be staying until further notice and until the state of Hawai�i acknowledges the property was fraudulently sold to Brescia,” Huff said.
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candyrosh
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camper trailer--camper trailer "
“We will be staying until further notice and until the state of Hawai�i acknowledges the property was fraudulently sold to Brescia,” Huff said.
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candyrosh
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camper trailer--camper trailer "
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victor2008 wrote on Oct 31, 2008 12:01 AM:
=====================================================
Victor
Addiction Rehabs "