Kahana Beach on the island of Maui, Hawaii has been subject to severe coastal erosion due to sea level rise (SLR), frequent storm events, and past construction of individual seawalls and shoreline armoring.
Looking for a long-term solution, the Kahana Bay Steering Committee (KBSC) in consultation with the Maui County Planning Department recently presented plans for the restoration of the Kahana Beach.
These plans call for the restoration, rehabilitation and preservation of the sandy beach along Kahana Bay by nourishing it with 50,000-100,000 cubic yards of sand transported from previously identified offshore borrow areas.
The plan also envisages constructing structures that extend from the shoreline seaward to retain the nourished sand and stabilize the beach.
The beach nourishment project – estimated to cost around $8 million – would widen the existing beach by 35–150 feet (approximately 50 feet average width).
According to the officials, the additional sand would provide an erosion buffer by absorbing and dissipating wave energy while enlarging the amount of dry beach area available for use by the public, residents, and visitors.
The construction period is projected to occur in the late summer or fall of 2020.