Comments on: Na’ili’ili Haele Stream & Waterfalls (aka “Bamboo Forest”) http://mauiguidebook.com/adventures/nailiilihaele-stream-waterfalls/ Maui Guidebook Wed, 16 May 2012 22:52:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Mark http://mauiguidebook.com/adventures/nailiilihaele-stream-waterfalls/comment-page-1/#comment-356 Mark Sun, 07 Mar 2010 19:59:49 +0000 http://smartmaui.com/wp/?p=385#comment-356 Wow Tim - thanks for sharing that. Jumping into the water at that level was dangerous - I'm glad it turned out OK for you. I'd suggest that no one reading this ever try and enter the streams when they flood. . Believe it or not, flash floods most frequently do come from rain upstream. The mountain is 10,000' high and these falls are at the bottom of a huge watershed encompassing countless square miles . The effect is so dramatic, however, because the damming diverts up to a certain capacity above normal flow levels and then the rest spills over the top - in other words, the only reason this is a "lazy river" most of the time is that at typical stream flows the streams are usually sucked dry at the lowest diversion point, and then the only water you usually see is coming up from springs beneath the subsequent pools between you and the diversions. Once the diversion reaches capacity, an almost immediate addition of water is restored to the upstream flow, and it is a significant change almost immediately downstream. While not a daily occurrence, flash floods can happen at any time, and I always pay close attention to the water level during any stream hike - glad you're here to tell us your story! PS - For folks that are not confident in their ability to be safe, there is an awesome guide named Alicia (search for Awapuhi Adventures here) - Alicia is very knowledgeable and experienced and can take folks to enjoy places like these safely. Wow Tim – thanks for sharing that. Jumping into the water at that level was dangerous – I’m glad it turned out OK for you. I’d suggest that no one reading this ever try and enter the streams when they flood. .

Believe it or not, flash floods most frequently do come from rain upstream. The mountain is 10,000′ high and these falls are at the bottom of a huge watershed encompassing countless square miles .

The effect is so dramatic, however, because the damming diverts up to a certain capacity above normal flow levels and then the rest spills over the top – in other words, the only reason this is a “lazy river” most of the time is that at typical stream flows the streams are usually sucked dry at the lowest diversion point, and then the only water you usually see is coming up from springs beneath the subsequent pools between you and the diversions.

Once the diversion reaches capacity, an almost immediate addition of water is restored to the upstream flow, and it is a significant change almost immediately downstream.

While not a daily occurrence, flash floods can happen at any time, and I always pay close attention to the water level during any stream hike – glad you’re here to tell us your story!

PS – For folks that are not confident in their ability to be safe, there is an awesome guide named Alicia (search for Awapuhi Adventures here) – Alicia is very knowledgeable and experienced and can take folks to enjoy places like these safely.

]]> By: Tim Potter http://mauiguidebook.com/adventures/nailiilihaele-stream-waterfalls/comment-page-1/#comment-355 Tim Potter Sun, 07 Mar 2010 19:07:54 +0000 http://smartmaui.com/wp/?p=385#comment-355 Take the warning about flash-flooding in this area very seriously. My girlfriend and I, along with another hiker, were trapped at the base of the fifth waterfall (the one you swim to) when the lazy creek turned into a raging river within a few minutes. The area is like a bowl with steep sides all around and it can get chilly in this area from the mist off of the 35' falls. I suspect EMI opened a flood gate because the water level changed so rapidly that it could not be due to natural causes like rain. The problem is that a good portion of the hike back relies on using the boulders in the creek as a trail, which is not possible once the water level rises. It took us 4 hours of strenuous crawling through the rain-forest & mangrove thicket to get out. Not to mention we had to jump off the 4th waterfall (about 8-10' drop) into the pool without knowing the depth or being able to see into the muddy water. Luckily it was deep enough, but was very hard to fight the current once in the pool. Our biggest fear was if we had to cross the creek once we made our way through the thicket because you end up on the opposite side of the creek from where your car is when you swim to the fifth falls. Fortunately, you do not have cross the creek on the way out if the water level is too high. About a 1/2 mile below where you initially crossed the creek on the way up to the falls is a bridge. There is a path through the bamboo to the bridge. Put simply, if the water level is too high to easily wade across the creek, don't risk it and walk down to the bridge! Take the warning about flash-flooding in this area very seriously. My girlfriend and I, along with another hiker, were trapped at the base of the fifth waterfall (the one you swim to) when the lazy creek turned into a raging river within a few minutes. The area is like a bowl with steep sides all around and it can get chilly in this area from the mist off of the 35′ falls. I suspect EMI opened a flood gate because the water level changed so rapidly that it could not be due to natural causes like rain.

The problem is that a good portion of the hike back relies on using the boulders in the creek as a trail, which is not possible once the water level rises. It took us 4 hours of strenuous crawling through the rain-forest & mangrove thicket to get out. Not to mention we had to jump off the 4th waterfall (about 8-10′ drop) into the pool without knowing the depth or being able to see into the muddy water. Luckily it was deep enough, but was very hard to fight the current once in the pool.

Our biggest fear was if we had to cross the creek once we made our way through the thicket because you end up on the opposite side of the creek from where your car is when you swim to the fifth falls. Fortunately, you do not have cross the creek on the way out if the water level is too high. About a 1/2 mile below where you initially crossed the creek on the way up to the falls is a bridge. There is a path through the bamboo to the bridge. Put simply, if the water level is too high to easily wade across the creek, don’t risk it and walk down to the bridge!

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