The waters of Hule‘ia River were muddied on Saturday, as more than a thousand people toiled to place rock after rock along the 600-year-old Alakoko fishpond wall.
The effort was organized by the nonprofit Malama Hule‘ia, as the fifth anniversary of its community workday. Some people flew into Kaua‘i to converge at the legendary fishpond with the goal of restoring as much of the 2,700-foot fishpond wall as possible.
“We have school groups, paddling clubs, high school athletic teams and cultural practitioners from across the islands,” Malama Hule‘ia Board President Jan TenBruggencate told the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) in a report on the restoration effort. “The level of support that this project has generated is just remarkable.”
The DLNR said the rock wall once protected the fishpond from flooding. Once the project is completed, the wall will again guard the fishpond from flooding. The project is being headed by Peleke Flores
The Alakoko fishpond wall is unique because it is one-sided, only facing the Hule‘ia River. There are several breaches in the 2,700-foot wall, which will need to be filled before it can perform its intended purpose.
“Alakoko fishpond is a link to the essence of what it means to grow your own food,” said Malama Hule‘ia Executive Director Sara Bowen.
She said one of the first efforts by the group was to remove some 26 acres of invasive mangrove starting from the wetlands behind the Niumalu Pavilion.
“Alakoko fishpond is a link to the culture and the history of the people who cared for this place. It really links the past, current and future ‘aina movement,” Bowen said.
Bowen and TenBruggencate praised the DLNR Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands (OCCL) for the streamlined permitting process that led to the event at Alakoko. The expedited permit was also used for the mangrove removal and other activities at Alakoko fishpond.
The expedited permit application process, which is permitted under the DLNR’s Ho‘ala Loko I‘a program, among other things, waives water quality certification requirements for restoration, repair and operations of loko i‘a, which are permitted by OCCL.
“Ho‘ala Loko I‘a helped us reach our goals in a more efficient way by having a programmable permit, which means that everything is in alignment,” Bowen said.
OCCL Administrator Michael Cain told the DLNR, “This is a major step forward in the restoration of this pond. We are excited to see all the progress the crew at Alakoko is making, and we’re glad we could be part of, and facilitate the process.”
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
