Six grants totaling $200,000 (between $10,000-$50,000 per award) for green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) projects in the Ala Wai watershed were awarded by the University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program (Hawaiʻi Sea Grant). These projects are part of the Ola Waikīkī project, a transformative effort aimed at improving the health of the Ala Wai Canal by improving water quality, enhancing ecosystem resilience and engaging communities in sustainable solutions.
GSI is a collection of design strategies that mimic nature to manage and treat stormwater and encourages water to infiltrate into the ground, minimizing and slowing the flow of runoff and removing contaminants. It encompasses a variety of nature-based solutions designed to restore natural hydrological processes. They range from native rain gardens and tree planting to floating treatment wetlands, all of which help to filter pollutants, slow runoff and replenish groundwater.
“The pollution of the Ala Wai Canal and the watersheds that feed into it have long been an issue rising to more prominence with the increased frequency of storms, and highlighting the urgent need to develop immediate solutions and strategies for the sustainable long-term management of the watershed,” said Hawaiʻi Sea Grant Director and Principal Investigator Darren T. Lerner. “The Ola Waikīkī effort and associated community-led projects incorporate community input and support real-world pilot projects that residents can see and experience. These projects provide an opportunity to demonstrate small-scale application of GSI that can eventually be scaled up into regional projects that support meaningful and impactful benefits to the environment and community.”
Ola Waikīkī is funded by Congressionally directed spending led by U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz. The project team includes Lerner and co-investigators Melanie Lander, community planning and design extension agent, and Dolan Eversole, coastal processes specialist.
Community-driven projects making an impact
An expert panel convened by Hawaiʻi Sea Grant identified six community-led projects to demonstrate the power of local action in urban environmental restoration and stormwater management.
- Aliʻiolani Elementary School Cafeteria Rain Garden (Hawaiʻi Green Growth UN Local2030 Hub)
- Increasing Urban Tree Canopy at Jarrett Middle School (The Outdoor Circle)
- M&M (Maintaining & Monitoring) the Kaimukī Rain Garden (Trees for Honolulu’s Future)
- Pālolo Hongwanji Sustainable Community Hub (Trees for Honolulu’s Future)
- Puʻuhonua: Distributed, Scalable Phytoremediation (Grow Good Hawaiʻi and ʻIolani School)
- Restoring Roots at Puʻu o Kaimukī Mini Park (808 Cleanups)
By leveraging community knowledge, hands-on participation, and strong partnerships, these initiatives are a first step toward long-term water quality improvement and urban resilience in Honolulu.
Visit the website for more information on these projects or to get involved.
