Ask the Mayor: Does Anyone in the County Have Flood Information for Kīhei?

Flooding near Kūlanihākoʻi in the Kīhei area of South Maui. PC: Kevin Olson.

Mayor Alan Arakawa answers some of the questions submitted to his 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:

Q: With all the flooding in Kīhei last week, I’m worried that my home might also be affected by future rainstorms. I know the water often rushes downslope along the gulches from Upcountry, and want to see if my property might be in danger. Does anyone in the county have this information?

A: You can view FEMA flood maps online to see if your property is in or near a flood zone. Most old-timers like myself would also like to state the obvious: Kīhei was—and still is—a wetland.

However, due to the beautiful beaches and normally sunny weather over the years, we conveniently forgot about the marsh areas and water birds that call South Maui home.

It should come as no surprise that from time to time we are faced with flooding in low-lying areas, and that flood control projects will continue to be an expensive and needed fact of life.