Ka Loko Reservoir
Encyclopedia
Ka Loko Reservoir is a reservoir
created by an earthen dam
, on the island of Kauai
, Hawaii
. It is located on the north side of the island, at 22°10′39"N 159°22′39"W. Waters flow from Ka Loko Reservoir down to Waiakalua Reservoir, Waiakalua Stream, and down to the Pacific Ocean
.
Ka Loko (sometimes spelled Kaloko) is notable because its dam burst on March 14, 2006. The dam burst was preceded by unusually heavy rain. The flood from the dam failure raced downhill through a ravine east of the town of Kilauea, Hawaii
, with a wall of water reported to be between 20 and 70 feet high (6 to 20 m high), and 200 feet (60 m) wide. The flood destroyed several homes, killed 7 people, including a toddler and a pregnant woman.
An independent civil investigation of the dam failure attributed several possible conditions and practices that may have led to the dam failure. For example, the State of Hawaii did not adequately inspect the dam and did not have enough dam inspectors to cover all of the antiquated dams in the state. The owner of the dam (James Pflueger) performed grading operations near the dam without permits and may have filled in the emergency spillway
for the dam. Neither the current nor prior owners of the dam maintained the dam adequately. Finally, the County of Kauai knew about the unpermitted grading operation, but did not enforce a stop-work order.
On November 21, 2008, James Pflueger was indicted
for manslaughter
and reckless endangerment in relation to the dam failure. Pflueger's lawyer claims that the indictment was attempt by the state of Hawaii to deflect its own responsibility in the matter.
On August 4, 2009, it was reported that a settlement between the parties of all civil cases has been agreed upon, pending judicial review. Pfueger's trial has been moved into 2010.
In 2009, it was revealed that a tributary to Moloa'a Stream had been diverted to supply additional water to Ka Loko Reservoir, possibly contributing to the disaster.
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
created by an earthen dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
, on the island of Kauai
Kauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. It is located on the north side of the island, at 22°10′39"N 159°22′39"W. Waters flow from Ka Loko Reservoir down to Waiakalua Reservoir, Waiakalua Stream, and down to the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
.
Ka Loko (sometimes spelled Kaloko) is notable because its dam burst on March 14, 2006. The dam burst was preceded by unusually heavy rain. The flood from the dam failure raced downhill through a ravine east of the town of Kilauea, Hawaii
Kilauea, Hawaii
Kīlauea, on the Island of Kauai, shares the name of the active volcano, Mt. Kilauea. The name literally translates to "spewing" or '"much spreading" in Hawaiian. Kilauea, the town, is a census-designated place in Kauai County, Hawaii, United States....
, with a wall of water reported to be between 20 and 70 feet high (6 to 20 m high), and 200 feet (60 m) wide. The flood destroyed several homes, killed 7 people, including a toddler and a pregnant woman.
An independent civil investigation of the dam failure attributed several possible conditions and practices that may have led to the dam failure. For example, the State of Hawaii did not adequately inspect the dam and did not have enough dam inspectors to cover all of the antiquated dams in the state. The owner of the dam (James Pflueger) performed grading operations near the dam without permits and may have filled in the emergency spillway
Spillway
A spillway is a structure used to provide the controlled release of flows from a dam or levee into a downstream area, typically being the river that was dammed. In the UK they may be known as overflow channels. Spillways release floods so that the water does not overtop and damage or even destroy...
for the dam. Neither the current nor prior owners of the dam maintained the dam adequately. Finally, the County of Kauai knew about the unpermitted grading operation, but did not enforce a stop-work order.
On November 21, 2008, James Pflueger was indicted
Indictment
An indictment , in the common-law legal system, is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that maintain the concept of felonies, the serious criminal offence is a felony; jurisdictions that lack the concept of felonies often use that of an indictable offence—an...
for manslaughter
Manslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
and reckless endangerment in relation to the dam failure. Pflueger's lawyer claims that the indictment was attempt by the state of Hawaii to deflect its own responsibility in the matter.
On August 4, 2009, it was reported that a settlement between the parties of all civil cases has been agreed upon, pending judicial review. Pfueger's trial has been moved into 2010.
In 2009, it was revealed that a tributary to Moloa'a Stream had been diverted to supply additional water to Ka Loko Reservoir, possibly contributing to the disaster.
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