Ala Wai Canal, Honolulu, Hawaii
(Photo by
Honolulu HI 5 on Pinterest)
(Photo from
Harcourts Island Real Estate)
(Photo from
HawaiiNewsNow)
Before construction of the canal, Waikiki was a swampy wetland as runoff streams from the tropical forested mountains met the ocean coastline. Large swaths of the swamps and marshes later became taro and rice paddies.
(Photo from
Honolulu Magazine)
(Photo from
Outrigger Canoe Club Sports)
Completed in 1928 after seven years of construction, the Ala Wai canal collected the mountain valley streams, particularly around Kapiolani Park, and channeled them away, draining the unsanitary Waikiki swamps and leaving developable beachfront land. Among the earliest key developments were the historic Royal Hawaiian and Ala Moana hotels.
(Photo from
Outrigger Canoe Club Sports)
(Photo by
Douglas Peebles Photgraphy / Alamy on Newsweek, "Honolulu Might Be Sunk Due to Climate Change," May 1, 2016)
(Postcard from
Kamaaina56 on Flickr)
(Photo on
Pinterest)
(Image from
Ala Wai Watershed Collaboration)
The western outlet of the canal forms Ala Wai Harbor, Honolulu's largest yacht docks.
(Photo by
Dick Ebert on Encircle Photos)
Wikipedia tells us the originally planned eastern outlet was not built as currents would send outflushing sediments and contaminants onto Waikiki's beaches. There remains fear of the increasing urban pollution within the canal and of the increasing threat of urban area flooding with rising sea levels and storm strikes.
With the build up of modern Waikiki, the canal is today lined by the scenic Ala Wai Promenade.
(Photo by
Joe C. on Yelp)
(Photo by
Joe C. on Yelp)
(Photo by
Charles Madden hosted on Pinterest)
Here is a pretty
drone flyover by Zoyx on YouTube.