WAIANAE, Hawaii — In early spring 2026, heavy rainfall struck Oahu, causing an unusually wet period that produced over 2 trillion gallons of water and historic flooding in Hawai’i.
Makua Valley, a sacred Native Hawaiian site known as the birthplace of humanity and where ancestral spirits depart, was among the most affected areas, with most roadways damaged by the storm. The Valley was once home to Hawaiians until the 1940s, when the U.S. Military evicted its residents during World War II and transitioned the area into a live-fire training range; in 2023, the U.S. military confirmed it would permanently end live-fire training on the land.
Today, the valley is identified as containing at least 120 cultural sites and houses, at least 44 endangered species, including 42 native plants and one species of Kahuli tree snail and the O’ahu ‘Eleaio, a flycatcher bird.
Days after the rainfall, Makua Valley’s Range Control realized the need to rebuild the roadways damaged by the storm. Range control coordinated with the 303rd Ordnance Battalion (EOD) to assist with the project, ensuring their presence for all surveys and construction to guarantee the safety of the Soldiers.
“EOD technicians from 303D provide immediate response for all emergency calls involving explosive hazards and unexploded ordnance,” said 1st Christian Dunham, the officer in charge for the Makua Valley mission. “We regularly respond to calls involving unexploded ordnance in Makua Valley, across the island of O’ahu and also the surrounding islands.”
The 303D’s overall mission is to provide emergency response across the island of O’ahu and greater Hawai’i. Clearing the roadways in Makua Valley enables native Hawaiians whose ancestors lived on the land, as well as other visitors, to access the cultural sites throughout the valley.
“This was once a fairly populated area and as such, you know there’s a ton of history here that needs to be preserved in the right way,” Sgt. 1st Class William McLain, the Non-commissioned officer in charge of the Makua Valley mission, said. “So that’s one of the reasons why we take such great pride in coming out here and assisting range control and all the other agencies with maintaining this place in terms of finding and mitigating explosive hazards.”
With the construction teams working diligently every day to restore roadways heavily damaged by the recent storms, and given the magnitude of the initial damage, the project is set to be completed in the summer of 2026.