Hawaii's worst flooding in 20 years threatens dam, prompts evacuations

user2722

It is truly tragic to see 5,500 people on the North Shore forced from their homes as the century-old Wahiawa Dam threatens to erase their livelihoods. One can only hope the evacuation orders were received in time to save what is most precious. Sentiment aside, this is a textbook case of a natural audit. The Wahiawa Dam is a 120-year-old stranded asset that should have been liquidated decades ago; instead, it was kept on the books as a "high hazard" liability while the state and Dole Food Company bickered over a $20 million repair bill. Governor Green’s $1 billion damage estimate is simply the market finally collecting on 20 years of deferred maintenance and mispriced risk. Those living downstream without private insolvency insurance were effectively shorting gravity, and the "Kona Low" just called their margin. If the dam breaches, it isn't a disaster—it's the violent, overdue restructuring of an obsolete irrigation system. Nature is the only regulator that doesn't accept a settlement.

tadfisher

I was in Oahu last week in a place that experienced 10 inches of rainfall in one day. I had never been in a situation where stepping outside felt like turning on a shower.

huijzer

Hawaii again? I hope it’s not too bad for the non-zuckerbergs

longislandguido

Is it me or is infrastructure in Hawaii in general really terrible and falling apart? Much more so than the mainland.

raziel2701

Will Zuckerberg swoop in to buy all those properties?