Ask the Mayor: Are Plans in the Works to Stop Erosion?
Mayor Alan Arakawa answers some of the questions submitted to his office staff.
Submit your own questions about County of Maui programs, services, operations or policies to Mayor Alan Arakawa at AskTheMayor@mauicounty.gov, 270-7855 or mail them to 200 S. High Street, 9th Floor, Wailuku, HI 96793.
Questions submitted will be considered for inclusion in the “Ask the Mayor” column.
Dear Mayor Arakawa,
Q: I live in Wailuku Parkside and have been wondering what kind of steps are being taken by the county and its contractor to prevent further dirt and silt from entering the (Wailuku River,ʻĪao Stream] river embankment while repairs are being made near Imi Kala Place?
A: The county Department of Public Works and its contractor have implemented several Best Management Practices (BMPs) to prevent further material from getting washed into the Wailuku River.
One of the most important BMPs has been the use of straw wattles, which are filled with straw and sometimes chipped wood to minimize movement of loose dirt or silt being carried by water out of the work zone and into the stream.
The straw wattles are strategically placed along areas where water would normally exit from the work area. Water can still flow through the wattles, but the straw material traps the silt and allows only the water to escape out of the work area, not the loose soil or silt.
The best BMP is to finish the job in a timely manner without delays and that has been done.