Kaʻelepulu Pond

Gazing at Kaʻelepulu Pond, wouldn’t you guess it once spanned two to four times its current size? Kaʻelepulu Pond, also known as Enchanted Lake, whispers tales of a past brimming with life. This 95-acre estuary in Kailua, Hawaii, was once a vast Hawaiian fishpond, teeming with fish and a vital resource for the community. The name itself, Kaʻelepulu, translates to “moist blackness,” hinting at the rich, fertile ecosystem that thrived here. Imagine this area in the 1880s. Princess Ruth Keʻelikōlani owned the pond and leased the surrounding lands to industrious rice farmers. The Waimanalo Sugar Company even drew a staggering two million gallons of water daily from Kaʻelepulu Pond to irrigate their sugarcane fields, until their closure in 1947. A strange event unfolded in December 1952. Ducks began falling ill and dying due to a botulism outbreak, a rare occurrence in Hawaii at the time. A bird banding project transformed into a rescue mission. Around 357 ducks found refuge in the Honolulu Zoo, while a heartbreaking 636 perished in the pond. The face of Kaʻelepulu Pond changed dramatically starting in 1959. The Bishop Trust, then-owner, partnered with Joseph Pao to develop the land. Soil from neighboring construction projects, also run by Pao, filled sections of the pond. This made way for the Enchanted Lake Estates, forever altering the pond’s landscape. Fast forward to the 1990s. A developer proposed further filling the pond for housing, but faced resistance from local residents, including a relative of Joseph Pao. The same decade saw the Army Corps of Engineers issue a permit for a wetland bird habitat in the pond, mitigating previous illegal dumping. Kaʻelepulu Pond has faced environmental challenges like fish kills and algal blooms due to pollution. Even today, residents are advised against consuming anything caught in its waters. But the pond holds deep cultural significance. The Hawaiian epic Mākālei ka lāʻau piʻipiʻi ona a ka iʻa o Moaʻulanuiākea i Kaulana references the use of both Kaʻelepulu and Kawainui Marsh as fishponds. So, as you stand before Kaʻelepulu Pond today, remember the layers of history beneath its shimmering surface. From a royal fishpond to a source of irrigation, from a scene of ecological mystery to a symbol of community resilience, Kaʻelepulu Pond has borne witness to the passage of time and the enduring spirit of Kailua.