Rebekah’s Studio

It’s ho‘oilo, the wet season, and here comes the rain. It’s the time of year to consider painting rainy-day pictures.

This is a view from the studio and two more waterfalls I can see when I look straight back into Makaua Valley. When it’s not raining, the falls are dry.

In 2006, it rained continuously for 40 days and 40 nights, causing landslides, flooding in Kaaawa village, and extensive damage to Makaua stream, a stone’s throw away from the studio.

We are so very thankful that the stream has been restored to pre-storm conditions in several sections. The restoration was completed and blessed just last month.

Leaving the stream unrepaired was considered a risk to public health and safety.

One damaged section was ma uka (mountain side) of the bridge (see photos below). On Kamehameha Highway, the main artery between Kahaluu and Haleiwa on Oahu, this bridge was in jeopardy. Many thanks to the federal and state governments, the contractors, and the community—including the private land owners and tenants of the land next to the stream and the contractors—for making this $816,092.00 restoration project possible.

In this 2006 photo, roaring Makaua Stream had already washed out the embankment. In the background is a residential road and the fire station. Kamehameha Highway is just out of the picture on the left side.

Here you can see the reconstruction work. The debris and the huge boulders that washed down have been cleared away. The job took 200 days to complete.

The restoration project including the new embankment, jumbo drainage pipe, and fencing was completed and blessed in October, just in time for new rains.

The photos of 2006 were made by Peter Krape.

Copyright 2009 Rebekah Luke