RECONNECTING TO WAIKĪKĪ’S PAST: THE ROLE OF HISTORICAL, PLACE-BASED KNOWLEDGE TOWARD A FUTURE OF FLOOD RESILIENCE

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2024

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Waikīkī is a region that was altered significantly from a traditional floodplain ecosystem to a heavily urbanized area. It was once characterized by an abundance of water resources and intensified agricultural systems that supported a large population. There is now a reduced water supply due to the proliferation of invasive species in forests, the pumping of groundwater resources, and a decline in rainfall—yet flood risks are much greater due to drastic changes in policy and land use following the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom. These flood risks are exacerbated by climate-related vulnerabilities including increased storm frequency and intensity, and sea level rise. Despite the greater availability of water under the traditional water management system, flooding events were typically not damaging to human activities and structures. Simply stated, historically there was more water and less flood risks, whereas today there is less water and greater flood risks. Recent iterations of flood control plans for this region were terminated because they would have caused adverse environmental impacts, while hardly reducing flood risks to humans and infrastructure. There are currently no selected or place-appropriate plans to address this region’s vulnerabilities, therefore this thesis aims to understand the water management practices used in the Waikīkī floodplain region prior to the land use changes surrounding the overthrow and construction of the Ala Wai Canal in order to help inform and guide flood resilience planning for this area. For the first time, the historic water management system of Waikīkī is examined in the context of flooding and is analyzed for its resilience by utilizing archival research combined with GIS spatial analysis. Areas where the findings from the past intersect with contemporary needs are then identified and presented as a range of strategies and opportunities to improve flood resilience for the region in ways that improve ecological health.

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Water resources management, History, Indigenous studies, Ala Wai Canal, Ala Wai Watershed, flood resilience, floodplain, pondfield agriculture, Waikiki

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159 pages

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