Halama Wetlands
The Halama Wetlands in Kīhei are part of the greater Welakahao wetland system, fed by Kēōkea Gulch and the Kula Kai aquifer. As a cryptorheic wetland separated from the ocean
Special Management Area
Ewa Wetland – Kihei
The Ewa wetland is an example of a landlocked wetland. With no obvious overland outlets to the ocean this wetland is still a catchment and detention basin and performs a
Waipuilani Gulch Greenway Bridge: What Actually Needs to Be Built
Waipuilani Gulch is not a single crossing problem. It is a continuous mauka-to-makai flood system that collects both upcountry runoff and localized rainfall across Kihei before converging into a constrained
Kīhei Flooding: A Disaster We Knew Was Coming
Record rainfall across South Maui pushed water, mud, and debris through every gulch and drainage system at once, overwhelming infrastructure never designed for real flood conditions. From washed-out roads to
Maui County Missing Wetlands
Maui County Wetlands Overlay Mapping Project Fail How could the consultants get this wrong? These two major wetland gulch stream systems are
Rezoning Could Affect Swimmers, Surfers, and Fishermen in Kihei
Maui County Planning Commission has recently approved rezoning to allow More Commercial/Industrial use of the land around the Kihei Wastewater Plant. This
Kulanihakoi Gulch is Being Devastated
Gulch Destruction: This natural gulch is being gutted in the name of debris removal, the project is turning it into a deep
Landowner Shamefully Clears 7-Acre Forest without Permits
For the past several generations, a well-known Kihei forest has provided one of Kihei’s last green spaces, and also a habitat for
Storm Surge and Its Potential Damage in South Maui
Understanding Storm Surge A storm surge is a rise in sea level that occurs during tropical cyclones, hurricanes, or other intense storms.
Waipuilani Wetland 16E
The 16E Waipuilani Road wetland site is one of the last undeveloped parcels within Kihei’s larger wetland complex. This low-lying site provides stormwater detention, floodwater infiltration, groundwater exchange, and habitat
Waipuilani Wetlands
This area once contained many permanent freshwater lagoons that were used for bathing. This area also once supported a large fishing and agricultural community. Today much of this area is
Ancient Hawaiian Fishponds of Kihei
The ancient fishponds of Kīhei form a sophisticated royal aquaculture system integrating freshwater springs, wetlands, and reef ecosystems. At least four major fishponds—and likely more—still leave visible traces along the
Flood protection walls and berms for Kihei, South Maui
Flooding in Kihei continues to impact homes, roads, and infrastructure. This article explores practical flood mitigation strategies including berms, flood protection walls, drainage improvements, and natural solutions designed for South
Developers are still bulldozing Kihei wetlands in 2023
The year is 2023 and developers are still bulldozing wetlands in Kihei. South Maui only has a fraction of its once-extensive Wetlands
Save Waiehu from Overdevelopment
Maui’s unique environment needs protection! Our group, Protect Waiehu Ahupua’a (PWA) was formed in July of 2022 in response to a California
Waipuilani (“Fongs”) Gulch Kihei Flooding
The Fong’s Gulch is the widest part of the makai end of Waipuilani Gulch, which is in the middle of our North Kihei neighborhoods. This is where the worst floods
Drainage Problems
What may surprise you to know is the many areas in Kihei do not have a stormwater drainage system. Kihei is built