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DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES News Release LINDA LINGLE GOVERNOR _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PETER T. YOUNG, CHAIRPERSON
Phone: (808) 587-0401
Fax: (808) 587-0390
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For Immediate Release:
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HONOLULU — The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) started a project that will pump up to 10,000 cubic yards of offshore sand to replenish Kuhio beach at Waikiki. “Waikiki is important to both our residents and visitors. We need to take care of this world-famous beach, and replenish areas of sand that erosion over time has removed,” said Peter Young, DLNR chairperson. “We believe this is a great demonstration project to test new, state-of-the-art offshore sand pumping technologies that can reclaim beach sand that washed into nearshore deposits. We think it is cost-effective to return it onshore to replenish Kuhio beach. This is not introducing new sand, but bringing back the sand that was once there, and that is compatible with the existing sand beach,” Young said. Today, American Marine Corporation, a local dredging company, is preparing equipment aboard a hydraulic dredge barge that will be brought next week into waters off Waikiki. Starting Monday, October 30, weather permitting, they will bring the barge into Waikiki and moor it approximately 2,000 feet offshore. Sand pumping will begin once the suction pump and an 8 inch pipeline are laid in place. The project will use heavy machinery during the daytime to help spread out pumped sand for drying at the staging area. This staging area will be closed to the public for the duration of the project, though the rest of Waikiki beach will remain open. Once dry, using backhoes and dump trucks, the sand will be transported to the ‘Ewa basin and to the beach fronting the Duke Kahanamoku statue at night between 6 to 10 p.m. Public access to these areas will be temporarily restricted during these operations. The project requires a 30-day operating window of calm seas, so a fall date was chosen for after the end of summer’s southern swells. The daytime and nighttime operations are planned to operate Mondays through Fridays. A University of Hawai‘i sand thickness survey identified several potential offshore sand sources in near shore Waikiki waters that are viable for beach replenishment. The survey identifies the sand thickness and sand compatibility of the offshore sand pockets to the existing beach at Kuhio. Project objectives are to increase the size of the dry beach at Kuhio Beach, and to demonstrate state of the art offshore sand pumping technologies for future beach restoration efforts. Rather than expand the width of the beach in the two basin areas, the goal will be to “inflate” the beaches by pushing the sand up against the landward sea walls. Over time the sand will fill in the lower portions of the existing beaches, but not expand farther into swimming area. The sand replenishment project will involve: DLNR has worked with the state Dept. of Health, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Coastal Zone Management Program, NOAA-National Marine Fisheries and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to ensure the project meets all state and federal requirements for environmental quality control. DLNR held a final pre-construction meeting earlier this week with city and state agencies and visitor industry representatives to review its plans and answer any questions. Water quality monitoring will be done during the project by the Department of Health Clean Water branch to assure safe conditions. The data obtained from this project will be used to establish appropriate environmental and design parameters, cost estimates, pumping system designs and production rates for future beach replenishment efforts. Kuhio Beach has a long history of engineering and beach replenishment, having undergone regular beach replenishment to maintain a sandy beach since 1939, when the north section of the Kuhio beach breakwater was built. Past beach replenishment efforts have been carried out regularly, but little has been done to maintain Kuhio Beach since the last major replenishment effort in 1975. Coastal erosion patterns have led to sandless areas at high tide. For information about the project go to the DLNR Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands web site at http://www.hawaii.gov/dlnr/occl/nourishment.php For more information media contact: |
