Menehune Ditch

Constructed prior to Western contact, Menehune Ditch, a stone and earthen aqueduct is an engineering masterpiece, with rocks carefully squared, smoothed and joined to create a watertight seal.

According to legend, Ola, a king, ordered Pi, a kahuna (priest), to create a dam and ditch to water his lands west of the Waimea River. Pi contracted with the menehune living on the canyon rim to build the ditch for payment of one 'opae (shrimp) per menehune. As always, they finished the project in one night, received their payment and returned to their mountain home, humming so loudly that their voices were heard as far as O'ahu.

When Captain Vancouver visited Waimea at the close of the 18th century, he walked up the river valley atop the wall of this ditch, estimating the walls to be around 24ft high. These days most of the ancient waterway lies buried beneath the road, except for one section about 2ft high. Even today, the ditch continues to divert water from the Waimea River along, and through, the cliff to irrigate the taro patches below.

To get here, turn at the police station onto Menehune Rd and go almost 1.5 miles up the Waimea River. The ditch is along the left side of the road after a tiny parking area.