The waterways of Kailua cover a water area of nearly 100 acres, and serve as the estuary for the 2500-acre Kaelepulu watershed encompassing the communities of Kailua and Enchanted Lake.
Kailua waterways include Kaelepulu Stream, Kaelepulu Wetland, Kaelepulu Pond, Kaelepulu Canal, and the Kawainui Canal. The 80-acre Kaelepulu Pond and Wetland acts as sediment trap for the City and County storm drain system serving the surrounding community. The wetland and pond serve as a collector to prevent movement of trash and sediments to the ocean where they would impact State owned public beaches and coral reef environments. Kaelepulu Stream in its current configuration requires monthly stream mouth dredging to improve water quality and decrease the chance of flooding the adjacent urban house lots.
The surrounding Watershed of 2500 acres contains the following:
- 3515 residences,
- 8 miles of storm drains,
- 24 miles of City Streets,
- 4 public elementary schools, and
- 10 acres of commercial development
Enchanted Lake Residents Association:
- 140 Single-family residences fronting the lake are members of the association
- 110 Kukilakila townhomes whose common area fronts the lake are members of the association
- 79.471 acres of lake are owned in fee-simple and managed by ELRA
