Sand Renourishment meeting for Kaanapali

Important Dates:

• September 24, 2020, Thursday:  Informational Meeting via Zoom 2020. The webinar link is https://zoom.us/j/91922314975.
• October 7, 2020, Wednesday: Comment Period Closes on Draft EIS (published Aug 23)

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Documents Library (Source: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/occl/kaanapali/)
Executive Summary Kāʻanapali Beach Restoration Project
Fact Sheet After Beach Nourishment
Fact Sheet Beach Change
Fact Sheet Beaches & Biology
Fact Sheet Benefits of Beach Nourishment
Fact Sheet Sand Quality
Draft EIS Draft EIS (published Aug 23)
Press Release Notice of Informational Briefing Sept 24

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Maui News Article (Source: https://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2020/09/sand-renourishment-meeting-for-kaanapali-beach-set-for-sept-24/)
An informational meeting on the proposed Kaanapali Beach restoration and berm enhancement project that involves bringing to shore 75,000 cubic yards of sand will be held via Zoom at 2 p.m. Sept. 24.

The webinar link is https://zoom.us/j/91922314975.

The shaded area on the map shows the site where 75,000 cubic yards of sand would be brought ashore to restore Kaanapali Beach as part of a proposed $9 million to $13 million project. A Zoom meeting on the project is set for Sept. 24. Sea Engineering Inc.

Kaanapali Beach has been negatively impacted by chronic and extreme seasonal erosion over the past four decades. Sand loss is expected to continue and even accelerate with sea level rise, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources said Tuesday in its news release announcing the meeting.

The DLNR Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands will be holding the informational meeting on the sand replenishment project developed by the state and the Ka’anapali Operations Association Inc. Restoration is proposed for the section of beach between Hanakao’o Beach Park and Hanaka’o’o Point, and berm enhancement is proposed for the beach between Hanaka’o’o Point and Pu’u Keka’a.

A draft environmental impact statement was published Aug. 23 with the triggers being the use of state land and funds and land in a conservation district and in a shoreline area. The comment period is open until Oct. 7.

Since 1990, the Ka’anapali Ali’i, Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa and Ka’anapali Beach Hotel have been threatened by erosion events. Beach walks have been damaged and removed and acres of vegetation and trees swallowed up by the sea, the draft EIS said.

Mitigation efforts have included the use of sandbags, sand mattresses and steel road plates. Plans for beach enhancement began in 2006.

The draft EIS says that berm enhancement would raise the elevation of the dry beach by 3.5 feet. The approximately 75,000 cubic yards of sand needed for the proposed project would be recovered from an 8.5-acre sand deposit, located approximately 150 feet offshore of Pu’u Keka’a in 28 to 56 feet water depth.
The proposed sand recovery method consists of a moored crane barge equipped with a clamshell bucket, the draft EIS said. Barges would rotate between the sand deposit and two off-loading sites, where the barges would be moored to an elevated trestle or floating bridge to shore. The sand would be transferred to shore along the trestle or bridge system.


Land-based equipment would transfer sand from the shoreline to the placement area to be spread along the shore and berm enhancement areas, the draft EIS said.


The work is expected to take two months between October and December 2021, the draft EIS said. The cost is estimated at between $9 million and $13 million.
For more information on the meeting, contact the Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands at (808) 342-1922.


The accepting authority for the draft EIS is Gov. David Ige. Comments may be sent to Governor, State of Hawaii; Executive Chambers, State Capitol, 415 S. Beretania St., Honolulu, 96813, or through https://governor.hawaii.gov/contact-us/contact-the-governor. Ige can be reached at (808) 586-0034.

Copies also should be sent the proposing agency and the consultant. Comments can be sent to proposing agency the Department of Land and Natural Resources, State of Hawaii, and Sam Lemmo by email at sam.j.lemmo@hawaii.gov or mail at 1151 Punchbowl St., Honolulu 96813. Lemmo can be reached at (808) 587-0377.
The consultant is Sea Engineering Inc. Comments may be mailed to Christopher Conger at Makai Research Pier, 41-305 Kalanianaole Highway, Waimanalo 96795 or emailed to cconger@seaengineering.com. Conger can be reached at (808) 259-7966.
​* Lee Imada can be reached at leeimada@mauinews.com.