Doubling of Coastal Erosion by Mid-Century in Hawai’i

hawaii-coastal-erosion
Yesterday it was a lawn. Winter surf and high tide resulted in messy saltwater inundation and beach erosion. Hawaii, January 2015. Captions and Photo source: ©© Rosa Say

Excerpts;

Chronic erosion dominates the sandy beaches of Hawai’i, causing beach loss as it damages homes, infrastructure, and critical habitat. Researchers have long understood that global sea level rise will affect the rate of coastal erosion. However, new research indicates that coastal erosion of Hawai’i’s beaches may double by mid-century…

Read Full Article, Science Daily

Erosion Creates Dangerous Situation on Waikiki Beach, KITV, Hawaii (01-03-2015)
Over the past several months severe erosion has caused a concrete slab near the water’s edge at Kuhio Beach to become exposed. Beach erosion in Waikiki has been a problem for decades and has resulted in at least 10 sand replenishment projects since 1939. 300,000 cubic yards of sand has been placed onto Waikiki Beach over the past 77 years.

Sand Moved To Cover Waikiki Beach Erosion Swept Away, Video (Uploaded 11-25-2013)
Just a day after crews tackled an erosion problem at Kuhio Beach in Waikiki, half of the sand they brought in was washed away, according to city officials…

Beach Erosion Again Exposes Concrete at Kuhio Beach, Hawaii News Now (07-29-2014)

Waikiki Beach Eroding Less Than A Year After $2.2M Sand Restoration, Pacific Business News (Uploaded 01-24-2013)
A section of Hawaii’s famed Waikiki Beach is starting to erode, less than a year after the completion of a $2.2 million project to replenish the sand on about 1,730 feet of shoreline that had been suffering from chronic erosion.

Scientists Urge Shoreline Retreat From Hawaii’s Eroding Beaches, EE News
Sea-level rise is a significant factor in the major shoreline change underway in Hawaii, where 52 to 72 percent of beaches on the chain of islands have eroded over the past century.

70 Percent of Beaches Eroding On Hawaiian Islands Kauai, Oahu, and Maui, USGS (Uploaded 05-08-2012)

Hawaii’s Beaches Are in Retreat, and Its Way of Life May Follow, The New York Times

hawaii-coastal-erosion
Coastal erosion, Oahu, Hawaii. “Sandbagging is pretty much an exercise in futility. The only benefit is psychological, the feeling of doing something…” Captions and Photo source: ©© Davidd

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