Lokoea fish pond is an ancient fish pond with a rich history. Lokoea is located just north of Hale'iwa town on the north shore of Oʻahu just a little ways to the Kahuku side once you pass over the old Anahulu River bridge which is a famous landmark in Haleʻiwa.
Lokoea is a fish pond of the Puʻuone type. Kanewai fish pond in Kuliʻouʻou is also of the Puʻuone type. The Puʻuone type fishponds are rare on Oʻahu. Puʻuone can mean "divination" or "pond near the shore".
A Puʻuone type pond is described of as a type of pond that is located near the shore. It's fresh water originates from streams or underground springs. Lokoea receives its water from an upwelling of springwater near Kawailoa which fed an adjacent fish pond called ʻUkoʻa. The water from ʻUkoʻa than flows into Lokoea. Kanewai receives it fresh water from underground springs that flow into the pond from Kuliʻouʻou Valley and Kuliʻouʻou ridge mauka of Kanewai.
These brackish water ponds are connected to the ocean by ʻauwai kai or salt water ditches. The ʻauwai of Lokoea is connected directly to the ocean and this ʻauwai extends beneath Kamehameha highway today where it connects to Waialua Bay. The ʻauwai of Kanewai is connected to Paiko Lagoon which inturn is connected to Maunalua Bay by an inlet in which I am guessing is approximately 50 feet wide.
The fresh water flow to both of these ponds has been reduced in more recent years by the diversion of water. In Lokoea's case, by Waialua Sugar Company when the land above Haleʻiwa was in sugar cane production. Kanewai fish ponds fresh water flow has been reduced by the widening of Kalanianaʻole Highway a few years back just as the neighboring Kalauhaeʻhae fish ponds fresh water flow has in Niu.
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